4 Out of 5 DADA Professors Recommend
by wwwendy
Summary: With the DADA professor for 1996-97 being unknown, Dumbledore assigns all returning students a summer essay, “What I have learned in DADA while at Hogwarts”. You wouldn't believe the approach Harry took, as some people are finding out, much to their shock
1. Harry's Essay

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Harry Potter, Hogwarts, or any other characters, subjects, or places mentioned in this story.

4 OUT OF 5 DADA PROFESSORS RECOMMEND…

Summary: With the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor for 1996-97 being unknown, Dumbledore assigns all returning students a summer essay, "What I have learned in Defense Against the Dark Arts while at Hogwarts" (this essay is to be sent to Hogwarts by the end of July to help Dumbledore & the new professor plan next year's lessons. Harry is working on his essay…

Length: originally was to be a one-shot (though after bk 6 is published, might be revisited) and I might follow up with the reactions of the professor(s) who read/corrects the assignment

Normal text: essay  
_Italics text: Harry's actions/thoughts as he writes & thinks about the last 5 years at Hogwarts _

* * *

4 OUT OF 5 DADA PROFESSORS RECOMMEND…

_Harry sat at Dudley's old desk in the second bedroom of 4 Privet Drive. He knew what he wanted to write and that most likely it wasn't what the headmaster wanted when he distributed this assignment, but after five years at Hogwarts it was what Harry thought about whenever Defense Against the Dark Arts was mentioned. Now he just had to gather his Gryffindor courage and put it down on paper. Harry sighed as he picked up his quill and started writing his first draft._

Harry J. Potter

Hogwarts-Gryffindor

Sixth Year

Four out of five Defense Against the Dark Arts professors recommend that Harry Potter die or become otherwise incapacitated.

_Harry looked at the opening line to his essay. It seemed easier to refer to himself in the third person rather than the first. Maybe this way he could pretend that it happened to someone else, Harry thought._

The first, Professor Quirrell, personally attempted to end Harry's life a couple of times, including jinxing his broom and strangling him. A jinxed broom during Harry's first Quidditch match almost caused him to fall to his death. It was only through the efforts of another professor, performing a counter charm that Harry was able to stay on until Quirrell got distracted and Harry was once more able to gain control of his broomstick.

The attempted strangulation was prevented by sheer dumb luck. Before returning to Hogwarts to teach, Quirrell met up with a spirit named Voldemort. Voldemort promised Quirrell power, fortune, and fame. All Quirrell had to do in return was kill Harry Potter and provide his new master with immortality.

Due to his earlier failures, Quirrell's body was hosting Voldemort at the time of the strangulation. With the magical link between the Dark Lord and the Savior of the wizarding world neither Voldemort nor a Voldemort-filled Quirrell were able to touch Harry's skin directly without suffering massive burns or disintegration.

As a result, Harry escaped with his life, Quirrell was burnt to ashes, and Voldemort disappeared in defeat, retreating to find another way to return to full strength.

From Quirrel, I learned that outward appearances and actions can be deceiving and that jumping to conclusions about people can put you in danger, since you focus on the assumed danger and make yourself blind to the real ones.

_Harry shook his head as he remembered his first year. Due to various situations that occurred that year, he and his friends jumped to the conclusion that Snape was evil and out to kill Harry and that Quirrell was the innocent and misunderstood professor. The three friends were very fortunate that nothing more serious had happened, since they had trusted Quirrell and could've easily been lead to their deaths by him._

The second professor, Gilderoy Lockhart did not outwardly appear to want Harry dead. No, Lockhart was more subtle than that. Upon his first meeting with the boy-who-lived, Lockhart used every opportunity to generate more publicity for himself. It is believed that Lockhart was jealous of the boy's fame.

_Well, Harry thought, Hermione believed it and she hasn't been wrong yet. After Hermione was returned to her normal state, Harry and Ron filled her in on everything that happened while she was petrified. Harry also mentioned the various conversations he had with the famous wizard. After much deliberation, the brown-haired witch came to the conclusion that Lockhart was jealous._

Yes, Lockhart won witch weekly's 'smile' award three years running, but the author of 'Magical Me' figured it was only a matter of time before Harry Potter gave him a run for his money, after all he was The-boy-who-lived and had witches falling at his feet before he even heard of Hogwarts.

_Harry paused and grimaced as he reread that last line, it sounded like something someone as conceited as Malfoy would say. Definitely not something he would normally think or write, again, this is to be blamed on Hermione. Every time Harry mentioned how his 'fame' shouldn't affect the results of a smile contest, Hermione just shook her head, walked away and mumbled words like 'hopeless' and clueless'._

Most of all, Lockhart was jealous of Harry's skill. By the time Harry reached the age of twelve, he did more than Lockhart ever could, with respect to defense against the dark arts. Is it any wonder therefore, that Lockhart wanted him dead, or at the least, obliviated enough not to remember magic? If the spell had succeeded, not only would Lockhart have protected his secret but he would have disposed of the potential threat to his future as the wizarding world's most glamorous hero.

_After helping Lockhart answer his fan mail during detention, Harry knew that some people in the wizarding world, mostly witches, thought of Gilderoy Lockhart as a suave, sophisticated hero. Of course, this was the image Lockhart projected with the publication of his books._

My second year was filled with many lessons in connection with the Defense Against the Dark Arts class. Some of those lessons were personal in nature and some for general use. On a personal note, the lesson that 'fame isn't everything' was reiterated. Many people work hard for their fame, some even by illegal means. It is much better to be content with who and what you are then to try to track down fame and fortune. In a more general sense, I learned three lessons that I'm sure will impact my future: that when attempting to use a wand that is not your own, you should check to see if it is damaged before proceeding with caution; no matter how small and harmless something might seem (pixies), you should never underestimate their ability to cause significant damage; and finally, you shouldn't believe everything you read.

The third professor was the only one who did not deliberately seek to kill or harm Harry Potter in some way. Remus Lupin was actually brought to Hogwarts to protect Harry that year.

Being a werewolf, Lupin was physically stronger than most of those around him. With his wolf sense of hearing, sight, and smell, he would most likely detect trespassers before others would. He also had the benefit of personally knowing Sirius Black, who was believed to be the biggest threat to Harry's safety that year.

It was just a coincidence that the night Black and Potter finally met was the same night as the full moon. Lupin, in an effort to assist Harry and his friends, neglected to consume the wolfsbane potion that day, making him more of a threat than the previous years professors combined.

_This had to be the most difficult part of this essay, Harry thought. Not only did he list the potential danger that his father's friend, Remus Lupin posed to Harry, but he also had to write about his recently departed godfather. _

By far, Lupin was the best Defense Against the Dark Arts professor I had during my years at Hogwarts. Not only were his classes educational, but entertaining as well. Besides, getting the students caught up on the previous year's studies, he also took the time to teach me how to protect myself against Dementors. On a personal note, I learned that fear is not a bad thing; rather it is the absence of fear that could kill you.

_For the year that he learned the most, it certainly is the shortest part of the essay, Harry thought, but he just couldn't spend too much time thinking about that year without breaking down and crying._

Most everyone believed that Harry's fourth year would be his safest yet. Oh, how wrong they were. It was perhaps, the deadliest. One of the reasons that everyone believed Hogwarts was safe and secure was the presence of the new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor, Alistor "Mad-Eye" Moody. As a retired auror, he was well qualified not only to protect Harry Potter and the other students, but on instructing them how to defend and protect themselves.

Unfortunately, the ex-auror was actually Barty Crouch, Junior, a Death Eater that many believed had died in Azkaban years ago. He infiltrated Hogwarts by using polyjuice, a potion that transfigured his appearance to that of Moody's. His mission: to bring Harry Potter to Voldemort.

_Harry still had a hard time believing that no one suspected that Moody wasn't really Moody. Most of the students, Harry included thought Dumbledore knew everything that happened in the castle._

Cleverly disguised, Crouch/Moody arranged for Harry to be entered into the tri-wizard tournament. Forced into the dangerous game, Harry faced dragons, mermaids, grindelows, sphinxes, and giant spiders successfully. Later Harry realized that he had some help; the fourth year Defense Against the Dark Arts professor had cunningly guided Harry through the maze of the third task where a port-key would bring him to Voldemort's side. What Crouch/Moody didn't take into account was Harry's sense of fairness and his desire to share the victory with his classmate and fellow champion, Cedric Diggory. Once more, due to luck, Harry escaped, regrettably, Cedric was not as fortunate. Harry returned to Hogwarts injured and saddened after witnessing the death of his classmate.

My fourth year I learned that life is fragile and that it can end in the blink of an eye. I also learned that sometimes you don't have the power to change things. When all hope seems lost, and it appears that you are going to die, don't go down without a fight, sometimes you get lucky and miracles happen and you live to see another day.

_Truer words were never spoken or rather written, Harry thought. He had been sure that his life would end that night in the graveyard, but he didn't give up. Even though he didn't expect his spell to have any effect on Voldemort, he wasn't going to just stand there waiting for death, he would go down with a fight, just like his mother and father had. It was that thought that had saved his life and allowed him the chance to escape._

While the fourth year was the deadliest, the fifth was the most shocking. A ministry appointed professor, Delores Umbridge, spent the year trying to punish and discredit Harry Potter. Some believed that this professor was in league with Voldemort, the truth may never be known until someone gets a clear view of her left arm.

_Harry felt a little guilty for insinuating that Umbridge was a Death Eater, but then again, after her actions from last year, maybe it was well deserved. Besides, Harry thought, the only people who might read this essay would be Hogwarts' professors and Merlin knows that they don't hold any respect for Umbridge after what she did to them last year._

This was also the first "professor" who attempted to kill Harry Potter before school started.

By the end of Harry's fifth year, Umbridge had quite a list of crimes against her, including but not limited to: sending Dementors after Harry while at his summer residence; the use of a blood quill on Harry and other students during detention; illegal use of veritaserum; and threatening the use of Cruciatus Curse on Harry and other students.

_Harry couldn't believe that a ministry employee, someone sworn to protect and defend the citizens of the wizarding world had come so close to succeeding when Voldemort and his Death Eaters had failed._

In my third year, I learned that the Ministry of Magic does make mistakes. This year, my experience in Defense Against the Dark Arts reinforced that lesson. In fact, this year, I learned that no one is infallible. While some mistakes are made by people not listening or following the advice of those who are older or wiser, other mistakes are made by people trying to do their best to help and protect others. After all, that is only what any of us can do. I also learned that _I_ have the power to learn. I can read and teach myself things I need to know if there is no one available to help me. I can also share that knowledge with my friends.

_If Professor Dumbledore reads these essays, Harry thought, I hope he understands that I accept his apology and offer my own in return. Harry was glad he was able to include some of the things he learned as a result of the DA, after all, the DA wouldn't have been necessary if they had a property Defense Against the Dark Arts professor. Now I just have to write the conclusion._

As you read, I learned many things in connection with Defense Against the Dark Arts during my years at Hogwarts. One of the main lessons was summed up in the opening sentence: four out of five Defense Against the Dark Arts professors want Harry Potter severely injured or dead. As shown, Harry Potter has been placed in life threatening situations by each of his Defense Against the Dark Arts Professors. Four of them, Quirrell, Lockhart, Moody/Crouch, and Umbridge, purposely sought ways to endanger the boy, while the fifth, Lupin, tried to protect him.

_There, Moony, Harry thought, maybe that last sentence will take away from what I previously wrote._

Through luck and some skills, Harry managed to survive all of their attacks. Some of those skills he learned on his own, others from professors or friends.

Since we are in the middle of a second war against Voldemort, Defense Against the Dark Arts is more important than before. With Voldemort's tendency to attack Harry Potter, it is a logical conclusion that where ever he is, danger is bound to be close by. Since Harry spends the majority of his time at school, it isn't a far stretch to believe that, just like previous confrontations, the next could occur at Hogwarts as well. Unfortunately, it is my belief that very few of the current students attending Hogwarts have the skills to defend themselves against the dark arts that Voldemort and his Death Eaters will use.

While I look forward to a reunion with my friends on September 1, I will be cautious when meeting the new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor and attending his/her classes. This new professor is an unknown and could quite possibly be a threat to my existence, especially when considering my previous history. The returning professors, however, all have my respect, admiration and trust for how they have guided me the last five years. I suspect that the majority of the students feel the same, regardless of what house they are in.

_Hey, I never said anything about **liking**__them, Harry thought as he imagined Ron's reaction to the last few lines that talked about respecting, admiring and trusting all the returning professors, including Snape._

During my years at Hogwarts, I learned that Professor Flitwick was a dueling champion; I am confident that he did not defeat his opponents and win that title by using tickling or levitation charms. Headmaster Dumbledore defeated the last Evil Wizard and is currently the only one Voldemort fears. I do not believe that he is feared because of his brightly colored robes, but rather because of his skills. On my first day at Hogwarts I learned of a rumor that Professor Snape desired the Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor position, and during Umbridge's review, it was confirmed that he has continuously applied for that position. I am curious to learn why he has not been offered this difficult to fill position. I have no doubt that Professor Flitwick, Headmaster Dumbledore, and Professor Snape all have the skills and knowledge to teach us what we need to know to survive this war.

Most of all, I have learned that it is time for the students of Hogwarts to have such a professor as the ones mentioned above for this crucial subject. The students should view the subject of Defense Against the Dark Arts with excitement not trepidation or laughter. With a talented and trusted professor teaching this subject, the class would cease to be referred to as 'Defense Against the Dark Arts Professors' and would once more be responsible for saving lives.

_Not bad for a first draft, Harry thought. Definitely needs some improvement, but for the most part, it gets his point across._

_Of course, it's a good thing that this was a summer essay, Harry thought, otherwise he would never hear the end of it from Hermione for not taking an assignment seriously. Then again, this was his life, you can't get much more serious than that._

_

* * *

Let me know if anyone might be interested in the reactions of the professors when they read this essay (I myself am curious about Snape & Dumbledore's reactions)._

Idea came to me one morning when I was brushing my teeth...was originally meant to be humorous, now kind of borderlines on serious, I think.

_4-24-05_


	2. Hermione

**Bold: letters**

4 out of 5…Hermione

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There, Harry thought as he finished writing the second version of his DADA essay. He knew that there were still some mistakes, but hopefully they wouldn't detract from the essay too much.

If only Hermione could check it for him before it is sent to Dumbledore. Maybe if he owled it to her she would be able to do that, he thought. It was only the first week of holiday, so he still had three weeks before he had to turn the paper in. It couldn't hurt to ask, he decided, taking out a piece of parchment and his quill.

**Dear Hermione,**

**I was hoping you could do me a favor and look over my DADA essay.**

**Before you say anything, I know that it probably isn't what Dumbledore wanted when he gave the assignment, but this is what I think of whenever someone mentions DADA.**

**Any helpful, constructive comments would be appreciated.**

**Thanks,  
****Harry**

**PS I hope that you are enjoying the holidays with your family so far.**

Harry looked at the letter and nodded, it'll do.

"Hedwig? Girl? Are you up for delivering a letter?" Harry asked, since she just returned from delivering his note to the Order in London. Hedwig hooted softly and stuck out her leg. Harry wrapped the letter around his essay and attached them to her leg.

"Thanks, girl. This goes to Hermione. Be careful, don't stop for anyone but Hermione, okay?"

Hedwig inclined her head as if in agreement and flew out the window. Harry sat and watched her until she could no longer be seen. Hopefully Hermione wouldn't be too upset about his essay and would be willing to help him.

* * *

It was now three days since Hedwig left to deliver his essay to Hermione. Harry was nervously pacing in his room. He couldn't believe that he forgot to tell Hedwig to come right back. How was he going to deliver his message to the order that he was okay if he didn't have an owl?

Harry just hoped that when they didn't hear from him that they would send only one person to check up on him, preferable Remus or Tonks, and not the whole brigade. He definitely didn't want to be around if Mad-Eye Moody knocked on his door, or at rather, he didn't want to be around _after_ Moody left. He was positive that his uncle wouldn't be happy about 'freaks' knocking on his door for the whole neighborhood to see.

Harry was lost in his thoughts as he imagined what his uncle would do. It wasn't until he felt his right ear start to sting that he noticed that Hedwig had returned and was nipping at it to get his attention.

"Hedwig! Oh, girl, I'm so glad you're back." Hedwig hooted softly and stuck out her leg for Harry to detach Hermione's note. Harry groaned when he saw that it was well over twice the size of the package he sent. Either Hermione had way too much fun correcting his essay or she was about to yell at him about it.

"Hedwig, I need you to deliver this to the order. I don't want them to worry and I _really_ don't want them to show up. Can you do this for me?" Harry asked, almost pleadingly. Hedwig nipped his master's ear again in confirmation as Harry tied the note to her leg. "Thanks, girl, you're a lifesaver."

As Hedwig flew off to London, Harry looked at the package in his hands. The envelope wasn't red so at least he knew it wasn't a howler, Harry thought, as he carefully opened Hermione's note. There were three pages, plus his essay. He pulled out the first page and started to read.

**Dear Harry, **

**I was shocked to find that you had already completed this assignment. I'm sure that Ron hasn't even thought about it yet. He'll probably wait and do it at the last moment, knowing him.**

**I hope that you are working on the homework for the other classes as well. I know that DADA is your favorite and one of your strongest subjects, but you should dedicate just as much time to the other topics. Actually, you should probably dedicate more, especially to potions. It wouldn't hurt for you to reread the texts from previous years. I do that every summer, trust me, it helps.**

Harry was surprised that she hadn't immediately started in the topic of his essay. Well, he thought, maybe she is just going to ignore it. Much, however, was explained with the next line.

**As I said, I'm glad you completed this assignment and of course I'll look it over for you. If you want to send Hedwig back in a couple of days, it should be ready.**

**Love,  
****Hermione**

Harry's glance flitted between the essay in his hands and the note he just read, as he scratched his head in confusion. He wished that Hedwig was here and that she could talk, maybe she could explain this note. Of course, Harry shrugged, he could just read the other pages.

**Harry James Potter!**

**Hedwig had just finishing the water I provided for her and was about to fly off when I read the first line of your essay. I quickly called her back. There was no way I was going to risk you not having her return.**

**So, what should I address first? Your choice of focus or the errors I found?**

**The topic I think. **

**Harry, how could you _not_ take this assignment seriously? Professor Dumbledore is giving us an opportunity to make an impact on next years classes. How is he going to know what we have learned in the last five years if all you talk about is how much your life was in danger! And those 'lessons' that you learned. Harry, there is no need to be so flippant.**

**UGH! Harry, I'm so disappointed in you. I really thought better of you. I can't write anymore right now. I'll be back as soon as I calm down a bit.**

Harry was both amused and worried. He was amused as he pictured Hermione walking around her room telling herself to calm down, similar to how she reacted when McGonagall announced her name for the sorting. Of course he was also worried, because not many things brought out this reaction in Hermione. This was worse than he thought. Maybe she was right, how would his essay help him or his fellow classmates learn DADA.

**Okay, I took a few minutes to calm down and have reread your essay as well. I've decided that I was incorrect. After thinking about it, I've decided that except for your penmanship, which is atrocious by the way, and some errors that can easily be corrected, your essay is almost brilliant.**

**The headmaster will have all of the other students' essays to inform him of what we have learned over the years. (My essay alone is almost three feet and I have just reached our third year.)**

Harry shook his head and felt a wave of sympathy as he thought about the owl that was to deliver her essay to the headmaster.

**You have managed to portray to the headmaster the fact that _we_ haven't learned much from our DADA professors that we could use to defend ourselves or protect our friends. You have also provided examples of how and where those defense strategies could have helped.**

**For your sake, I hope that no one from the ministry reads this essay. I would hate to think what they would do to you after reading your remark about their 'mistakes' or what you implied about Umbridge. Of course, you did list the reasons why someone might think that it was possible.**

**I was surprised at the end when you complimented Professor Snape. I would love to see the reaction of Professor Dumbledore when he reads your essay. I wonder if he will have any of the other professors help him review the essays?**

Merlin, Harry thought, he hopes Dumbledore doesn't recruit anyone to help him read the essays. McGonagall would be bad enough, but if Snape read his essay. Ugh! Harry was sure he would hear about it the entire semester.

**I still stand by what I said earlier though, you were a bit too flippant. Even if this is a summer assignment, it _is_ still homework and should be taken seriously. **

**_Why_ did you refer to the events that happened to you in the third person? The only time you used the first person perspective was when you discussed what you learned. (Which I understand by the way; how can it be an essay about 'what I learned' if you never talk about yourself?)**

**Either way, Professor Dumbledore is obviously going to know that it's your essay. Not only do you have to have your name on it to get credit for the assignment, but one) you are one of the few people who has all this information and two) you are also the only one that learned how to defend themselves against a dementor in our third year.**

**Now, on to the errors.**

**Professor Lockhart did not win witch weekly's smile award three times. I suggest you do some research and correct this error.**

Harry snorted; trust Hermione to remember how many times the fake won that award. Harry decided that he wouldn't do any research but would correct the data by just stating that Lockhart won the award multiple times.

**I also think that maybe you should expand on some items. Year three we learned the most, but that is the shortest part. **

**I've attached your original essay with errors that need to be corrected.**

Harry picked up his essay and groaned at the red ink that was covering the parchment. Merlin, it looks like he is going to need those three weeks to write this to Hermione's satisfaction. Well, he thought, one thing is for sure, he wasn't going to send her a revised copy to edit.

**I also have some questions and other comments regarding your essay:**

**For your first year, you stated that you learned about actions being deceiving and jumping to conclusions. I immediately thought of your _favorite_ professor. Is that who you were thinking of?**

**I can only assume in second year that you are indirectly quoting me about Quirrell's jealousy of you. Honestly, Harry, you need a better source than that. **

**Why didn't you mention anything about parseltongue? Second year is when you found out about that.**

**You did a great job on year three. But as I already mentioned, it is the shortest section. Perhaps you can expand a bit more on what we learned from Professor Lupin?**

**Fourth year-Harry, not only did you write about a lesson that is difficult to learn at any age, but you were able accentuate the positive from that year as well. **

**If Umbridge is ever put on trial, they might need to use your essay for a concise list of crimes against her. Of course, as I wrote earlier, the ministry might not like that reference you made about their mistakes. And they did make a mistake placing that woman at Hogwarts. I cannot believe the things she did last year; sending Dementors after you; attacking teachers; banning you from Quidditch for life; the blood quill; threatening us with Cruciatus. What I cannot believe is that she almost succeeded in her plans. I thought that the ministry was there to protect us.**

**Sorry I digressed for a moment. Anyways, I was wondering why you didn't include things you learned from DA? There seems to be a lot of things you learned that wasn't mentioned in your essay.**

**On the other hand, I was very glad that you referred to all of the current professors using their respective titles. I can imagine the headmasters comments if you just wrote 'Snape' in your essay. I was also glad to hear that you _do_ respect and trust the returning professors, and while I will not speak for my classmates, I agree with you on that point.**

**Speaking of professors, I believe that your idea for those three professors to teach has some merit. Maybe Professors McGonagall and Dumbledore will take it into consideration when they plan next term's class schedule. Especially if a suitable DADA professor isn't available.**

**You wrote a great essay and it will be even better after you make all those corrections I recommended.**

**I should probably end the letter here, but I wouldn't be a very good friend if I didn't ask you how you were doing. I admit that I am worried about you. I hope that you don't have to spend too much time with your relatives, but can go to the Burrow soon. I'm sure that Mrs. Weasley is concerned about you after the events of last year.**

**I just wanted to let you know that if you ever need to talk, I am there for you.**

**Love,  
Hermione**

**PS-I am looking forward to a reunion with you guys as well!**

Wasting no time, Harry went straight to work improving his essay according to Hermione's suggestions.

The next day, after giving Hedwig a chance to rest, he wrote a letter to Hermione to thank her for reviewing his essay and to respond to some of her questions and comments.

**Dear Hermione,**

**Thank you for reading my essay. I admit that I was a little nervous about having you read it. I suspected that you would believe that I wasn't taking the assignment seriously. Let me assure you, that since this essay describes my life, it is something that I take very seriously.**

**As for the flippancy, well, originally I was trying to keep it light hearted, however as I got more into the essay, I realized how challenging that was. Once all the facts were out there on paper, it was quite daunting to see how many times my life was in jeopardy due to the DADA professors.**

**I wasn't planning on trying to keep the authorship of my essay a secret, it was just easier to write about it in the third person. At least for a moment I could pretend that it was someone else's life.**

Harry paused as he thought about what to address next in his essay. A mischievous grin broke out over his face as he bent his head and started to write.

**Of course I learned more than this! I tried to only mention things that I learned that were directly related to that professor. If I wrote everything I learned my essay would be almost as long as yours. Not to mention that my arm would be killing me. I'm hoping that the ban Umbridge imposed on me will be repealed, if that does happen, I would need my hands to catch the snitch. I wouldn't want to waste time waiting for my hands to recover.**

**You're right (as usual), third year is the shortest. However, there is a reason for that. It was very difficult to write about that year, since that is the year I learned about Sirius. I was also trying to be careful about what I wrote about Moony. If he somehow sees this essay, I don't want him to feel bad about putting us in danger. I'll try to include more about that year. **

**I don't know that I was actually suggesting that those three teach DADA. It was more a point of how right in front of him are people more qualified to teach than the one's he has hired. Of course, if they do teach, I would be happy. It would mean one less thing I would have to worry about next year. After all, I already know that while one of them hates me, he won't kill me; another treats me like any other student; and the third, is often over protective, of course, that has led to dangerous situations as well.**

Hmm, Harry thought, maybe it wouldn't be a good idea for those three professors to teach DADA after all. 

As for how I am doing, honestly, I'm not sure. Some days are good and some days are not so good.

Harry laughed, could any day with the Dursleys really be good, he thought.

**I'm keeping busy by reading and doing the summer assignments. It helps not to think about it. The nights are the worse. Every time I close my eyes I see a jet of light hitting him squarely on the chest. That night it seemed to take him ages to fall, but every night since then it seems even longer. Some nights I just watch silently and helplessly as he disappears behind the ragged curtain. Other nights I'm screaming for someone, anyone to help him. Levitate him, or to use some type of spell that would prevent him from falling backwards. However, no one does anything and once again, he disappears. (1)**

Harry looked at what he just wrote and shook his head. He hadn't planned on telling Hermione or anyone that. It just appeared. Once he started to write, he couldn't stop until he got it all out. Well, he thought, better end the letter now before he writes something about the prophecy.

**And I thought last summer was bad!**

**If you talk to Mrs. Weasley, tell her not worry. I'm sure that I will survive. Hope to see you soon.**

**Love,  
Harry**

**P.S. Yes, that was who I was thinking about when I mentioned the lessons I learned our first year. If Quirrell had been more aggressive, we, or rather I, might not be here. We were so quick to believe that _he_ was the injured party and that our _favorite_ professor was evil.**

**P.P.S As for a better source, Hermione, in the five years, I have known you, you have yet to be wrong about something. You might not know the answer, but you weren't wrong. Then again, I now have evidence that you were 'incorrect' about your original thoughts regarding my essay.**

While rolling the parchment, Harry snickered as he imagined Hermione's face when she realized that he did have such proof. Ron would probably give anything to see proof of Hermione's one moment of error.

* * *

Details of Sirius' death reworded from Harry Potter & the Order of the Phoenix, chapter 35.

So, who should be next to read Harry's essay?

5-23-05


	3. Why it’s a good idea NOT to leave your h

CAPITAL-portion of essay (year) that Harry is thinking about

_Italics_-_comments that Hermione made on Harry's essay_

**Bold-essay (additions, corrections, excerpts)**

* * *

**4 out of 5 DADA Professors…  
****Chapter 3  
****Why it's a good idea NOT to leave your homework laying around…pt 1**

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Harry laid down his quill, satisfied that he had completed revising over half of his essay using Hermione's notes.

He had expected it to take much longer due to all the red marks she had written on the essay. However, he was quite glad to discover that some of those remarks were mere comments from Hermione about the events of each year.

Harry figured those comments were written the third or fourth time she read the essay, considering she would've been too upset after the initial reading of the essay and probably focused on his errors the second time. He was glad she put those comments there. Not only did it give him a chance to find out what someone who was reading the essay might think, but it also made him laugh. Something he needed after the events of last year or rather, after the events of the last _five_ years.

The portion of his essay where he wrote about the events of first year she wrote:

'_I always knew Quidditch was hazardous to your health' _and _'Sheer dumb luck, wasn't that what Professor McGonagall said about the troll?"_

After reading her comments about the Troll, Harry decided he would mention that in the essay. After all, it was in the castle because of the Defense Professor. The new paragraph would come right before the broom incident.

**His first plan included letting a 'small' mountain troll in the castle on Halloween. This plan didn't specifically target Harry; rather it was just a coincidence that he and his friend, Ron Weasley, were placed in a life threatening situation. The two had gone to help a fellow first year Gryffindor, Hermione Granger, escape from the troll after being cornered in the girl's lavatory. Once more, thanks to Harry's pure dumb luck, Hermione's pronunciation lesson and Ron's magic, the troll's club was levitated and dropped on his head. The troll was knocked out and the trio escaped with their lives intact.**

And so began the 'trio', Harry thought fondly. To think that he owed the closeness he shared with his best friends to Quirrell. He wondered if Hermione or Ron ever thought about that. Harry snickered as he answered his own question: Hermione, if it has to do with thinking, than the answer is yes; Ron, if the answer is thinking, then most likely, no.

_SECOND YEAR_

'_Can you believe I had a crush on this guy? Hey, I think I still have his autograph on the permission slip to the restricted section of the library.'_

'_Quoting Professor Snape, Harry? What is the world coming to?'_

'_I almost forgot about those pixies! Poor Neville-and you thought you had it tough!'_

Briefly Harry wondered what she might think if she knew that his life_ could've_ been Neville's. At least that was one thing, Harry thought, because he was the child of the prophecy he saved Neville from having to deal with all of it.

_THIRD YEAR_

'_Kind of Professor Dumbledore to give you one year where you didn't have to worry about the defense professor killing you.'_

Yeah, Harry thought in agreement, and he also gave me back my godfather that year as well.

_FOURTH YEAR_

'_Dragons, mermaids, grindelows, sphinxes, and giant spiders, Oh my!'_(1)

'_He also didn't count on your resourcefulness and skill! As I said in our first year, 'you're a great wizard, Harry.'_

Only Hermione could make him blush in embarrassment while they were hundreds of miles apart, Harry thought, as he read that last comment.

_FIFTH YEAR_

'_Do you think that we can now refer to Professor Umbridge as the 'creature from the swamp?'_

'_Clip, clop, clip, clop'_

Harry snickered at the last comment, especially Hermione's attempt at drawing Centaurs and hoof prints.

Harry was actually surprised that she had been able to make him laugh at something connected with the events of last year. Overall, it really wasn't a fun year for him; not too many fond memories, either.

Harry decided to take a break before he started to think about Sirius again. He looked at the parchment on his desk and decided it wasn't worth packing it all away; he was only going to be working on his essay again after dinner. Besides, it wasn't like he had to worry about anyone finding it. The Dursleys never stepped foot in his room; they probably wouldn't even come in to tell him if the house was on fire.

That decision made, Harry decided to go down to the kitchen to get a snack before going outside to enjoy the afternoon sunshine.

* * *

Petunia Dursley reluctantly knocked on the door to her nephew's bedroom.

Thanks to the 'advice' of the wizards that met her and her husband at the station, Harry's list of chores had reduced dramatically. It was decided that Harry would continue to cook breakfast and dinner and clean the kitchen as well as tend to the yard and gardens. She would work on the remainder of the household chores, including the one that had brought her to her nephew's door.

Hearing no sound inside the room, she hesitantly opened the door and entered, the laundry basket clasped tightly in her hands.

Looking at the desk covered in ink and parchment in the otherwise immaculate room, she mumbled, "What a mess. The nerve of that boy. Hope he doesn't expect _me_ to clean that up."

She placed the laundry on his bed. She might have to wash and dry it, but _he_ could put it away himself. Besides, she thought, who knows what 'freaky' things he might keep in there. She shuddered in disgust as she remembered the frog livers that Lily brought home one year.

As she turned to leave, she saw something on the parchment that caught her eye.

"Kill," she read off the pale parchment that was on Dudley's old desk.

He's probably trying to find away to kill us all, she thought as she stepped closer to read the paper.

There were two pieces of parchment on the desk in her nephew's handwriting, one covered in red ink and one half filled. There was also a piece of parchment in the same flowery handwriting as the red ink.

Picking up the longer of the three, the one covered in red ink, she started to read.

* * *

That was strange, Harry thought as he threw a glance over his shoulder at the kitchen door. Aunt Petunia had been acting very weird. Every time Uncle Vernon or Dudley tried to insult him, Aunt Petunia would jump in and interrupt them, changing the topic. And if that wasn't enough to wonder what was going on, she not only helped him prepare dinner, but had told him to sit in the living room and watch the telly while she and _Dudley_ cleaned up.

Out of shock, Harry obeyed, and took a seat on the comfortable furniture that he previously hadn't been allowed on. Yet part of him just couldn't relax. Every time he heard footsteps he jumped up, expecting to see Uncle Vernon or Dudley there ready to yell at him for being in this room. Once the kitchen was clean, Aunt Petunia and Dudley entered the room and approached the seating area. At once, Harry jumped up, ready to retreat to his room.

"No, no…Harry," Aunt Petunia protested, pausing as if trying to remember his name, "You just sit down and relax."

To Harry's surprise, neither Uncle Vernon nor Dudley said a word in protest. After a few minutes of silence and some questioning looks at his wife, Uncle Vernon decided to leave and head down to the pub for a pint.

Harry spent the next half hour watching his aunt and cousin, wondering if they were under some sort of spell or potion. After all, never before had they _willingly_ been in the same room as him, at least, not without someone yelling.

Finally, Harry decided that he would much rather be in his room working on his essay than sitting here in uncomfortable silence with his relatives.

"Excuse me, Aunt Petunia," Harry began, "Would it be all right if I went to my room now? I have an essay that I need to finish."

Paling at his words, his aunt nodded and dismissed him, much to the relief of everyone in the house.

Shaking his head and wondering what _that_ had all been about, Harry sat down at Dudley's old desk to complete his revision of his essay.

It didn't take long for Harry to notice that his things on the desk were misplaced; in fact, he couldn't even _find_ the clean copy of the essay he had spent the morning working on. Harry quickly glanced around the room to see if anything else was missing or out of place. The only thing he noticed was a pile of clean laundry sitting on the end of his bed.

"Aunt Petunia," Harry called, realizing that she must've been the one in his room. "Aunt Petunia, can you come here a moment?"

"What is it boy, er Harry?" She asked as she climbed up the stairs.

"Did you see my essay when you were in here earlier? I thought I left it on the desk, but I can't seem to find it."

"It's not my mum's fault that you can't keep track of your things, freak," Dudley yelled at his cousin. It was bad enough that the freak had somehow made his mum decide that _he_ needed to clean the kitchen after dinner, but now he was blaming his mess on her. That was the last straw. He didn't care what his mum said, his cousin _was_ a freak and he wouldn't be treating him any differently. "No one would touch anything in your room if they didn't have to. Everything probably has some strange disease or something."

"Hush, Dudley," Petunia ordered, noticing that her nephew was getting angrier with each word her son spoke. "Go to your room and play like a good boy. Mummy will take care of this."

"Fine," Dudley whined as he walked past his mother and into his room, adding one more parting shot, "But he better not accuse you of stealing from him again. Everyone knows that he's the freak and the thief."

"Now, Dudley!" Petunia commanded as she pushed him through the door to his room, before shutting it.

Then walking over to his desk he found his half-written essay and handed it to him. "Your essay is right here. Next time I suggest you open your eyes when you look for it."

Harry glanced at it and upon seeing the red marks said, "Not that one. The clean copy I was working on."

"That _was_ the clean copy," Petunia replied jabbing it towards Harry.

Taking the offered essay Harry looked at it again and noticed that it was the half-written copy he had been working on that morning. "What happened to it? What did you do?" Harry yelled.

His aunt had ruined it, Harry realized. The nice clean copy he had spent all morning working on had lines and comments all over. "Why did you do this? Is this why you were acting so nice to me this evening? Helping me prepare dinner, having Dudley clean up, letting me watch the telly with you? Was this all part of your scheme to lull me into some false sense of security? Trying to make me think that we could actually exist peacefully together? I can't believe you would do that! I was perfectly happy ignoring you and having you ignore me in return. Why couldn't we have continued on that way? I spent hours on this essay and now I have to start all over again. Why?"

When his aunt remained silent Harry again asked, "Why? If you really wanted to know what happened at my school, you only had to ask me. You didn't have to pry and read my papers. Though I'm sure you were upset to find out how many times I almost died, but didn't."

"I was just trying to help," she replied as she turned to leave. "And I already had an idea of what was happening at that school of yours, and I'm more grateful than ever that both Dudley and I are normal."

"You did?" Harry asked in shock, ignoring the comment about her and Dudley being 'normal'.

"Of course," Petunia said with a smirk. "As your guardian, the headmaster informed me that you had some troubling times these last few years."

"Just a _little_ troubling," Harry snorted sarcastically as he held up his essay, looking between his parchment and his aunt. "But why did you suddenly decide to help now? You never did before, even when I asked."

Aunt Petunia looked stricken as she thought how best to answer that question. After all, she could hardly share that she did it in automatic reflex to keep her mind off _exactly_ what she was reading. No one who knew Harry could read the events of his recent school year escapades and not feel something. By taking a pen and correcting it, she had been able to distance herself from what she read. "I was just making sure that you didn't fail. Your _friend_, had some good suggestions, but missed some common spelling and grammar errors," Aunt Petunia defended. "I merely corrected those that she missed. After all, I _was_ a teacher before Dudley was born.

"I couldn't have you hand in a substandard piece of work and receive a failing grade, now could I? After all, if you failed and were kicked out of that school, it would just mean more time that we would be stuck with you."

"Oh," Harry said softly, partly disappointed. He didn't really expect to hear that she suddenly cared for him, but still, it might have been nice.

Petunia looked at his silent, dejected form for a moment before leaving and closing the door behind her.

With a sigh, Harry got out his ink and quill and sat down to once more started to revise his essay, this time including his aunt's corrections.

* * *

_Oh my!'_(1) Wizard of Oz (Lions & tigers & bears, oh my)

UPCOMING:

Chapter 4: **Why it's a good idea NOT to leave your homework laying around…pt 2**

Chapter 5:** Intercepted**

Chapter 6:** Will it be 4 or 5 out of 6?**

**I believe this is going to be 6 chapters…**

* * *

**Dedicated to Kaleena Mason…Thanks-I didn't think about Petunia or the Dursley's coming across the essay & reading it. **

Oh yeah, a few people mentioned My 'interesting' inspiration (brushing my teeth), title comes from old commercials about 4 out of 5 dentist recommend this toothpaste (can't even remember which toothpaste, just that 4 out of 5 dentist recommended it). Made me think about what 4 out of 5 there was for Harry Potter & here it is…so I guess you can thank the advertising execs for this fic.

2/11/06


	4. Constant Vigilence

A/N: This chapter is not beta'd. I am actually looking for a beta, for this and my other fics. If you are interested, please e-mail me or let me know in a review. Also, let me know what story (s) you are interested in beta'ing.

**

* * *

**

**4 out of 5 DADA Professors…  
****Chapter 4  
****Why it's a good idea NOT to leave your homework laying around…pt 2  
****Constant Vigilance**

Harry laid outside, enjoying the sunshine. It had been two days since he discovered that his aunt had 'corrected' his essay. The surprising thing was that those two days had been relatively peaceful. Harry still prepared breakfast on his own, but Aunt Petunia would often help him prepare dinner and afterwards she and Dudley would clean up the kitchen. That was only one of the many changes in the daily routine.

Harry couldn't help but wonder why the sudden change in his relative's demeanor. At first he thought it was because of the 'warning' from the order that they received at the train station, but if that was the case, why didn't their attitudes change the first day he returned home, rather than a few weeks later?

Harry tried deciphering the clues on his own, but the answer he came up with didn't make any sense to him.

First, there was the fact that the copy of his essay that Aunt Petunia corrected had water stains on it and places where the ink smeared. Originally Harry figured that she probably either had wet hands when reading it or perhaps was drinking a cup of tea. It wasn't until _he_ got upset and started to cry while writing a paragraph about his godfather that he realized that his tear-stained parchment resembled the one his aunt corrected. Of course, that made him ask the question of _why_ his aunt had been so upset, perhaps it _was_ because he hadn't died?

Secondly, Harry thought about _why_ his aunt said she was helping him. She said that it was because she didn't want him to fail. Well, if she knew what had been going on in school, then she probably knew his grades as well. Harry knew that while his grades might not be as good as Hermione's, he wasn't in danger of failing out. And even if his Aunt didn't know his grades, since when is someone kicked out because of _one_ failed homework assignment? After all, if that was the case, then anyone who took potions, except for perhaps the Slytherins and Hermione, would've been kicked out of the school by now.

Then there was the conversation he heard between his aunt and uncle.

"_Petunia, dear," Harry heard Vernon say as he walked by their bedroom door, "Why are you treating the freak so well?"_

_There was a moment of silence before his aunt softly answered, "His name is Harry. And he might be a freak, but he's still my nephew."_

"_And has been for the last sixteen years," Vernon replied gruffly, "But you never had our Dudley do any chores before. What happened? Did those freaks threaten us again?"_

_As far as Harry knew no one had talked to his guardians again, but Harry could imagine how tempting it was for his aunt to let them take the blame for her sudden change in attitude, something that Harry was curious about as well._

"_No," Petunia responded, "I just realized a few things."_

"_Like what? It's summer and he can't use it against us."_

"_No, not now," she agreed, "But next year he'll reach his majority and could."_

_From the gasps uncle Vernon made, Harry could picture his face turning purple._

"_What!" Vernon roared, "That settles it then, he's not coming back here next year. In fact, contact that freak, Dumbles and tell him to get the boy now_."

_Harry smiled and quietly laughed at the new nickname for the headmaster. He would definitely have to remember to share that with Ron._

"_Having him leave won't do any good," Petunia argued softly, before continuing to try to calm her husband. "Vernon, it's okay. I don't think Harry's the type of wiz-fre-person to seek revenge against us in that manner."_

"_Then why are you being so nice to the boy?"_

"_Do you really want to take the chance that I'm wrong?"_

_Harry could hear Vernon give a non-answer grunt in reply._

"_Besides, you know as well as I do that he has to consider this his home. It's what's keeping all of us safe. I also realized that my sister and her husband wouldn't have treated our Dudley any different from their own son if positions had been reversed."_

_Harry raised an eyebrow in doubt. That was the reason for the sudden attitude change? Even without knowing his mother, Harry could've told her that years ago. Apparently Uncle Vernon must have shown some disbelief as well since his aunt continued._

"_Harry's been through a lot these last few years,"_

"_And we haven't?" Vernon hissed. "We were the ones who had to deal with conferences where the teachers talked about their hair turning blue and him somehow 'appearing' on the school roof. We were the ones that had to replace perfectly good clothes when they 'mysteriously' shrunk; We were the ones who had to tell my dear sister that she 'passed out' after too much wine instead of telling her that she was 'blown up' and floated away. We had to ruin our reputations by telling everyone that your nephew was a criminal to keep anyone from wanting to know more about him, preventing us from mistakenly giving away their secret world. Everyday we lived in fear that someone would suspect something and that the freaks would be after us for breaking their secrecy laws. You know as well as I do what the punishment is for that."_

_Whoa! Harry thought, if someone had guessed about his magic, they would've been the ones in trouble? Harry was too busy thinking that he almost missed his aunt's reply._

"_I know, dear, I know. But for the past five years, since he started at that school, he has had several attempts on his life. And don't you dare say terrible it is that none of them succeeded," she warned before her husband had a chance to speak. "As I mentioned earlier, as much as we don't like what he is, he is the reason why we continue to be so protected."_

"_So the boy almost died a few times," Vernon snorted, "We already knew that from the reports that that Dumbles guy sends us each year."_

"_Yes," Petunia reluctantly agreed, "But as you know, all he mentioned was that 'something' happened and that the boy was injured. I had a chance to hear about things from Harry's point of view."_

"_You talked with him about this?"_

"_Of course not," Petunia denied. "I happened to come across some papers in his room, a homework assignment I believe. The word 'Kill' caught my eye and I just wanted to be sure that the rumors we started about him being criminally insane were just that, rumors."_

_Harry snorted, it would've been kind of ironic if he had become criminally insane because of the cover story they created._

"_Were they?" Vernon asked with a slight note of fear in his voice. Harry could imagine what he was thinking, after all, a wizard in the house was bad enough, but a criminally insane wizard?_

"_Yes, though I am amazed he has any sanity left."_

_Harry had to bite his tongue to keep from protesting that statement. He was sure that if he was found listening to their private conversation that the 'truce' between them wouldn't last much longer._

"_What could possibly be so bad in that world?" Vernon asked gruffly. "After all, with a poke of their wand all their problems disappear. I'm amazed that the boy is doing some chores around here still. Nothing like good hard work to make someone grateful for what they have, I always say. It's amazing that he isn't a lazy vagabond, able to wave a wand and make his troubles disappear."_

"_Well, luckily for everyone, he's not," Petunia dryly retorted, "And Vernon, waving a wand doesn't always help in that world, since everyone else has one as well. There are also many dangers to that world," Petunia argued._

"_You're talking about that Yoohuey, er, Voldywart fellow, his Dead Munchers and those Dementy things, aren't you?"_

_Once more Harry held back his laughter. He only wished that his uncle had met Snape and would come up with a nickname for him to add to the list._

"_You-know-who, or Voldemort, honey, and not just him or his Death Eaters. There's also dragons, centaurs, and trolls, all of which Harry has had to face."_

"_So?" Vernon grunted._

"_So," Petunia repeated incredulously, "He's just a child. At eleven he was facing trolls, centaurs, and professors possessed by Voldemort. At twelve, it was giant snakes and the manifestation of the memory of him; At thirteen, it was werewolves and escaped convicts, and those Dementor creatures. At fourteen, dragons, giant spiders, and a face to face confrontation with Voldemort. Most of these had a professor responsible for placing him in those situations, and each time, he escaped, often saving the lives of others in the process. We may not like him, we may consider him abnormal and a freak, but he and his freakishness is what's protecting us and keeping us and Dudley from harm, especially now that Voldemort is back."_

"_But still, dear," Vernon asked in confusion, "That doesn't explain-"_

"_Because the more comfortable and happy he is here, the safer we will be and the safer he will be when he's away from here."_

"_And why do we care about him again?" Vernon grunted, "Nephew or not."_

_Petunia sighed, "I told you, he's what's keeping us safe. Not just the three of us in this house, but the world. We might not think he's anything special, but their world does. He is going to be the one to defeat Voldemort and save the world."_

_Harry groaned, of all the things his aunt could have said, why did she have to say that? He wasn't a savior, or anything special, he was still just Harry._

"_Hmph," Vernon agreed half-heartedly, "He may be a savior to them, but to me, he's still a freak."_

"_Vernon,"_

"_No, Petunia. I will not let the boy become spoiled or arrogant. As long as he is under my roof, he will follow my rules. That includes obeying us and completing his chores. We will continue to allow him to leave his room, and if you really believe that you and Dudley should clean the kitchen after dinner, that is your choice, but," Vernon warned, "Not even his freaky friends can help him if he is rude or disrespectful to either of us."_

"_Of course, dear," Petunia agreed, giving her husband a kiss._

_When Aunt Petunia kissed Vernon and ended the conversation, Harry knew it was time to leave._

Apparently after talking with his wife and realizing how powerful a freak, er wizard, his nephew was, as well as what he had survived during the last five years, Uncle Vernon agreed to be nicer to the boy, in other words, less yelling and more ignoring. Of course, the fact that next summer Harry would be able to do magic outside of school had _nothing_ to do with the change in his attitude.

Harry knew that his relatives didn't _love_ him, but maybe, just maybe, they, or at least hisaunt, didn't completely hate him.

* * *

With a sigh, Harry sat up and stretched is back and arms. He had been lying outside enjoying the sunshine while he recopied his essay _again_, since his aunt demanded to see it again, since last time she only got to proof the first half of it.

Harry's plan was to finish it and send it to the headmaster before anyone more changes could be made, whether by himself, his aunt, Hermione, or anyone else. At least his essay should be mostly error-free, Harry thought dryly.

"Lunch," Petunia called from the back door.

"Okay," Harry replied as he started to gather his papers and supplies.

"Now!" Vernon yelled, "I'm not going to have food go to spoil because you were dawdling."

"Okay, okay," Harry answered as he scrambled to his feet. Even though Vernon hadn't been as mean to Harry in the past few days as he had been the previous years, Harry knew that he didn't want to push it. After all, he was well familiar with his uncle's temper.

Leaving his parchments and quill on the blanket he had been laying on, Harry ran into the house, figuring that he wouldn't be gone long enough for anything to happen to his essay.

* * *

Eyes followed Harry as he ran. Honestly, the way his uncle treated him sometimes was indecent, his watcher thought. Of course, at least now Harry was allowed outside for something other than chores. His watcher felt a little proud about that, since she was part of the reason for that change. Well, her, a handful of other witches and wizards and a little 'threat' that was waiting for his uncle at the station last month.

As wind ruffled her short pink hair, Tonks was dismayed to find what she assumed was Harry's homework blowing away.

"Mad-Eye," she hissed as she left her position and tried to grab at the pieces of parchment, "Help me."

"Why?" Moody asked as he looked around the yard. "The boy should learn to take better care of his things."

"Lecture later, help _now_," Tonks demanded, before angrily adding, "Besides, he tried, it was his uncle that wouldn't let him 'dawdle'.

"He's been working on this for _days_," Tonks continued, "And the way that he's been so dedicated, I am beginning to think that it's his potions assignment for Snape. Harry doesn't deserve to have all his work ruined. He's had a challenging life as it is."

"And what do you know about his life?" Mad-Eye asked suspiciously.

"Not much," came the quiet answer. "But with relatives like those, I'm sure it hasn't been easy. After all, if it was, we wouldn't have needed to 'talk' with his uncle."

"Hmph," Mad-Eye grunted as he too started to pick up Potter's errant essay.

"Parchments not even protected," Mad-Eye muttered a few minutes later. "Anyone could pick them up and read them. _What_ was that boy thinking?"

"It's summer," Tonks began to explain.

"That's no reason to be lazy."

"He's underage," Tonks continued.

"Doesn't matter. He's still Potter. People will want to know about him. I make sure that I protect every piece of paper from unsavory eyes," Mad-Eye stated.

"Of course you do, you paranoid fool," Tonks mumbled under her breath while rolling her eyes. "The point I was trying to make," she stated louder to make sure that she had his attention, "Is that since it is summer and since he is underage, he _can't_ use magic."

"Then he shouldn't leave personal items laying around. Constant vigilance," Moody reminded the younger auror.

"It's his homework," Tonks said, hoping to defend Harry. "Useless to anyone but a sixth year Hogwart's student."

"Doesn't matter. It's still useful to somebody."

"Please," Tonks sang as she looked at the pieces of parchment in her hand, "why would anyone care about…" The pink haired auror paused and her eyes grew wider as they took in the title and opening line of the essay. She looked at her companion before reading what she found so interesting, "Four out of five Defense Against the Dark Arts professors recommend that Harry Potter die or become otherwise incapacitated."

"Hmph," Mad-Eye barked, "And they say that I'm paranoid. At least I don't write articles about people trying to kill me."

"That' because no one would read it," Tonks replied dryly, "Nor is anyone trying to kill you."

"Must I remind you that I spent almost ten months loc-"

"Locked in your trunk," Tonks completed, "Yes, I know. But as you know, they weren't trying to kill _you_, but rather, Harry. In fact, they had to be sure to keep you alive, in order for the plan to work."

Once again, Mad-Eye just grunted in reply.

"Merlin," Tonks whispered as eyes took in the first few paragraphs. "Maybe he should've protected this."

"Of course he should have," the older man agreed, glad that someone was seeing the benefits of constant vigilance.

"This is an account of Harry's time at Hogwart's. Or at least his interactions with his Defense professors. This could be worth a fortune if a publisher got a hold of it." Her voice trailed off as she continued to read.

"Let me see that," Moody demanded, taking the first page that Tonks had already completed. "Interesting assignment Albus issued," he remarked after reading about it, "Though I don't quite think this is what he was expecting."

"He probably knows about most of it," Tonks commented. "I don't think anything happens at Hogwart's without his knowledge."

"Perhaps so," Mad-Eye agreed, "But _knowing_ and seeing it all presented this way from _his_ point of view will probably be two completely different things."

The two aurors fell into silence as they put the pieces of parchment in order and read about why Harry believes his DADA professors want him dead.

"Poor Harry," Tonks said sadly after she finished reading his essay, "How has he managed to survive?"

"You've read how he survived," Moody commented. "Luck and determination. The more accurate question is how will he survive the next two years, especially since Voldemort is increasing in power and strength?"

Tonks stayed silent since she didn't have an answer. The two watchers finished gathering Harry's papers and placed them where they originally were. As Moody placed a few charms on them, including one to keep them from blowing away, Tonks asked, "Should we tell him?"

"Albus?" Moody questioned, "He'll find out soon enough when he gets the essay from Potter."

"I meant Harry," Tonks replied, "Should we tell him that we read his assignment?"

"What purpose would that serve?" Moody asked, causing Tonks to mumble something derogatory about Slytherins. "It would only cause the boy to become upset. He'll accuse us of spying and never trust us again. If he doesn't trust us, we won't be able to help him survive his next encounter with Voldemort."

"And what happens if he discovers it on his own?" Tonks asked "_That_ certainly won't help him or us."

* * *

Harry happily crossed the backyard to where he last left his papers and books. It felt good having a full stomach and being able to be outside in the summer without worrying about completing an endless list of chores. Definitely something he could get used to, he thought as he lowered himself to the ground to work on his essay.

"Hey," Harry yelped in surprise, turning his head to look at his surroundings, "Who's there and what did you do to my essay?"

"Didn't do anything to your essay," Moody answered, as he appeared before Harry. "I simply charmed the parchment to be protected."

"Protected from what?" Harry snorted, "Ants?"

"Unsavory eyes."

"Huh?"

"What he means is that the parchment will be blank unless the owner willingly gives permission for them to read it," Tonks explained.

"You'll definitely have to teach me that charm," Harry commented, "And thanks…but why?"

"Constant Vigiliance, "Moody shouted. "And you better believe that I will be teaching you that charm. Every document you carry that contains personal information should be protected. Why I-"

"Harry," Tonks interrupted, "Let's just say that you are newsworthy. Even though this is just a summer assignment, the information could be valuable in more ways then one."

"You read it?" Harry asked, not sure if he was more shocked or angry about their actions. Angry, he realized, definitely angry. "You had no right! Why did you do that? OH, let me guess," Harry drawled sarcastically, "You noticed the word 'kill' and wanted to make sure I wasn't turning evil."

"What?" Tonks asked taken aback by Harry's words, "No, of course not."

"Then why? And don't you _dare _say that it's for my own good," Harry demanded, "Do you read my mail and search my room as well?"

"No! Of course not," Tonks denied. She knew that Harry would be angry, but she didn't expect him to be this angry, especially since he wouldn't even let them explain.

"Potter, that's enough," Moody said, applying a silencing charm to the youngster. "If you'll calm down, we'll explain. I'll also remove the charm if you promise to hear us out."

Harry glared at Moody for a minute before nodding in agreement.

"A few minutes after you left, your papers were flying around the yard due to the wind. Tonks began to pick them up, saying that you worked too hard on them to lose them. I reluctantly agreed, believing that it was your fault since they weren't picked up or protected properly."

"But-"

"Not a word, Potter," Moody commented, "Or I'll reapply the silencing charm until I'm finished, understand?" At Harry's nod, the older auror continued, "Good. I'm aware that it wasn't completely your fault, since you aren't legally allowed to do magic and since your uncle wouldn't let you take the time to clean up, however, that does not excuse your lack of planning. CONSTANT VIGILANCE," Moody shouted. "Sooner or later you'll learn that, and hopefully it won't be too late."

"Anyway," Tonks interrupted, "I mentioned that it was just a homework assignment and that nobody would be interested in it anyway, unless they were a sixth year Hogwart's student."

"Hmmph," Moody grunted, "If those papers ended up in a neighbor's yard or the street for someone to read, what do you think their reaction would be, even it if _was_ a simply homework assignment on potions."

After a glare at Moody, Tonks continued to explain about how she read the title and in her shock, commented on it to her partner and out of curiosity, they both read the essay.

As Harry listened to their explanation, he felt _some_ of his anger slip away, after all, many of the things Harry had done was done out of curiosity, so he did understand that temptation. But still, he thought, as he spoke his concerns out loud, "You still shouldn't have read it without my permission. If you were concerned you should've talked to me about it. After all, it was obvious that I was going to come back since I left my work out here."

Tonks and Moody exchanged glances before Tonks softly spoke, "We're sorry. We didn't do it to hurt you, and you're right, we should've apologized. But," Tonks said, "In our defense, it was a very intriguing essay. I don't believe anyone, except the headmaster, has heard all the details of your Hogwart's adventures."

Harry snorted, "Not even the great Albus Dumbledore knows _everything_," he remarked softly, causing his watchers to look at him in shock.

_

* * *

_

UPCOMING:

Chapter 5:** Intercepted** Harry sends his essay to the headmaster, someone reads it before Albus does.

Chapter 6:** Will it be 4 or 5 out of 6? Teacher, Teacher**

**I believe this is going to be 6 chapters…**

6/18/06


	5. Intercepted

A/N It took a while, but it's a long chapter to even it out…OH yeah, not beta'd

4 OUT OF 5 DADA PROFESSORS RECOMMEND…  
CHAPTER 5  
INTERCEPTED

"Hey Hedwig," Remus Lupin called as the snowy owl flew into headquarters. "What do you have there girl?" He asked gently, petting Harry's familiar. "Albus, it's addressed to you," Remus quietly stated after looking at the name on the parchment.

Albus took his eyes off of the Quibbler to remove the letter.

"What is it? Is Harry okay?" Remus anxiously asked, "It hasn't been three days yet, he shouldn't need to contact us. Something must be wrong."

"Probably complaining that his steak was too tough," Severus snorted, earning a glare from Remus and a look of admonishment from the headmaster.

"Should I go check on him?" The werewolf asked as he sprang to his feet. "I knew he shouldn't have been left with those _people_."

"Why don't you just go?" Severus muttered.

"Severus," the headmaster said warningly, causing the potions master to roll his eyes as he stood up to leave. "Calm down, Remus. It's just his DADA homework assignment."

Snape snickered at the werewolf's discomfort and snidely commented, "Told you it was nothing," as he exited the room.

"Oh," Remus said embarrassed since he almost panicked over that. At least things were improving at his relative's house, Remus realized, if Harry was able to complete his homework so quickly.

"Still," Remus argued, "It probably isn't best for him to be there _alone_," Remus stressed, "By himself, after everything that happened."

"It will protect him when he is away from there," Albus stated, as he had hundreds of times before.

"But what's protecting his mental health while he's there?"

Albus sighed, "I had so hoped that Petunia would _truly_ be family to her young orphaned nephew. For all my years, I still can't figure out _why_ she has acted as she has. If there was another option to keep Harry safe and protected, I would've gladly taken it."

"That's not what I meant," Remus remarked, "But since you brought up the protections, what is the _least_ amount of time he needs to be there?"

"Two wee-"

"Then let's go get him now," Remus suggested fiercely.

"As long as he is doing well, he will remain there," Albus commanded. "His watchers have informed me that things have changed. Harry is often seen outside, is eating at least three times a day, and his chore assignment is average for a teenager. And," Albus continued, indicating the scroll, "He is able to work on his homework. This assignment isn't even due for another few weeks. Yes," Albus decided firmly, "I would say that everything is satisfactory on Privet Drive."

"But what about Harry?" Remus asked quietly.

"You've read the letters he has been sending the order, he appears to be doing just fine."

_"Appears_," Remus echoed, "This is _Harry_ we're talking about. Do you really think that he will inform us if something was wrong?"

"He kno-"

"He's _learned_ not to trust adults," Remus interrupted, "From Sirius I've learned a bit about his past, both before Hogwarts and while attending Hogwarts. Most adults say that they care and that they'll help him, but when it came down to the wire, it was only himself he could count on.

"The ministry debacle proves that," Remus continued, "Who did he turn to? Not adults, but _children_.

"The one person he would have, _might_ have told the absolute truth to was Sirius, but this time, it's Sirius's death and how he's handling it that is the problem."

"I understand what you're saying," Albus sighed, "But until I have reason to believe otherwise, I will assume that Harry is adjusting to recent events. He _needs_ to be there for the protection." Albus firmly answered, turning back to his paper to indicate that the conversation was over.

"Adjusting," Remus softly repeated, the boy shouldn't have to _adjust,_ he thought. "I just hope that that's enough," Remus muttered a little louder for Albus to hear.

Within a few minutes, Remus's eyes were looking around the room, hoping to find something to occupy his mind other than Harry's situation or Sirius's death. Order headquarters had become gloomier than ever without Sirius's boisterous presence.

Seeing the scroll of homework that Harry sent to Albus, Remus asked, "May I?" If he couldn't find out how his cub was doing mentally, at least he might be able to determine how he was fairing academically.

"Of course," Albus answered once he realized what the former professor was referring to.

Opening the scroll, Remus smiled as he saw Harry's handwriting. Still the same chicken scratch that he had two years ago, Remus recalled fondly.

**Harry J. Potter  
****Sixth Year  
****Gryffindor House  
****What I learned from Defense Against the Dark Arts at Hogwart's **

"Albus," Remus asked, his voice filled with curiousity as he read the title of Harry's essay, "What type of assignment is this? What I learned from Defense Against the Dark Arts? Why did you assign that as homework?"

"It's just a general assignment I asked all the students to do, including the graduating seventh years."

"Why?"

"To find out what they learned, of course," Albus replied, continuing when he noticed Remus's interest. "Some of the previous professors I've hired weren't the best. I needed to find someway to gage what the student's were learning and where their lessons were lacking. This seemed like an appropriate solution."

"_All_ the students?" Remus repeated as a sudden thought came to him, "Did you limit the length of the essay or the contents?"

"No, of course not," Albus responded, "You can't put a limit on knowledge."

Remus smiled for the first time in what seemed like days. Not limiting the length of the essay was one decision that Albus might come to regret, at least once he started to review essays from certain students. "You know that you'll probably receive a _very_ long, detailed essay from Miss Granger, don't you?"

"That is fine," Albus nodded, acceptably, "The more information I have, the better informed I'll be, and the easier it will be for the Defense professor to create lesson plans for next year."

"Albus," Remus said with a quiet chuckle, "When I say long and detailed, I meant something that you could probably bind and publish as a book."

Albus look startled at that, "Surely not," he quietly commented.

"Oh, yes," Remus said gleefully, "I suggest you clear at least a few days to read Miss Granger's essay and some of the more ambitious Ravenclaw's. Especially since most of them will expect it back with corrections and comments."

Albus looked slightly ill as he realized exactly what he had set himself up for.

"I also suggest you enlist the help of the new Defense Against the Dark Art's Professor to review these."

"Unfortunately, no such person exist yet," Albus said regretfully. "That is actually part of the purpose of these essays, to see what the student body needs and hire accordingly."

"Either way," Remus said as he picked up Harry's essay and comfortably settled into his chair, "Good luck."

* * *

"Wotcher, Remus, Albus," Tonks said as she took a seat at the table next to the werewolf.

"Good afternoon, Nymphadora," Albus returned as he continued to read his paper.

Tonks grimaced at the sound of her full name, but ignored it since it came from her previous headmaster.

"Remus?" she repeated, after not receiving a response from her favorite werewolf.

Taking a closer look at the paling man beside her, she grabbed a hold of one of his hands and loudly repeated his name, "Remus!"

At her cry, the headmaster looked up from his paper and Mad-Eye entered.

"Girlie, what's that in his hands?" Moody gruffly asked, "It could have been hexed. People have got to learn to check their mail for hexes and curses," he mumbled. "Lupin here is a known werewolf, we all know that _some_ people have trouble with Lycanthropes. It would be just like one of the-"

"Alistair," Albus interrupted, "The parchment wasn't cursed, it was for me."

"All the more reason to check it," the older auror exclaimed. "As the leader for the light, you could be the prime target for such an attack. After the events at the ministry, Voldemort knows better than to face you again, it would be just like him to take such a cowardly route to cripple you."

"Alistair, stop." Albus commanded, "The parchment is _from_ Mr. Potter. And while I _do_ know that he is upset with me, and rightly so, I do _not_ believe that he has taken to hexing his homework assignments."

"Homework?" Tonks echoed, a feeling of dread overcoming her.

"Yes, homework," the headmaster confirmed. "I assigned all returning students an essay about what they've learned from their DADA classes during their years at Hogwarts," he continued with a curious look at Remus, "However, I admit I am not sure why it would cause such a reaction from our friend here."

Tonks grimaced, perhaps she should share what the parchment contains.

"You haven't read it yet?" Mad-Eye curiously asked.

"Not at all."

"Yet you gave permission for another to read it, without knowing what it contains," the auror stated disapprovingly.

"It's a homework assignment," Albus clarified.

"It's _Harry Potter's_ homework assignment," Alistair corrected, "And possibly filled with information that some people would kill to learn."

"It's simply an essay about what they were taught," Albus defended. "There's nothing in it that Voldemort couldn't learn from any student he asked."

"I wouldn't be too sure of that," Moody commented, "And who said I was talking about Voldemort? I suggest you read it."

"I plan on it," Albus agreed, "After all, that _is_ why I assigned it."

"Now," Moody strongly encouraged, glaring at the headmaster.

"Af-"

"Stop!" Tonks interrupted, angrily "Can we help Remus first?"

Mad-Eye looked at the werewolf critically, "Shock, no doubt," he murmured taking in the appearance of the man in front of him as well as his own reaction to the boy's essay. "Easily enough to cure," he commented casting a spell with his wand.

"What?" A drenched Remus asked as he looked around the room. "Tonks! What was that for?"

"It wasn't me!" She yelped with a glare at Moody. "And it was because you were in shock."

"Shock? Why would I…" He stopped his question mid-sentencing as he saw the answer lying in front of him. "Oh," he said softly, "Harry's essay."

"Yes," Tonks murmured, comfortingly rubbing her hand on his arm. "I'm sure he didn't mean it as it sounded," she tried to explain. "I know that he cares for you."

"What?" the bewildered man questioned.

"The essay. I read a portion of it when I was on guard duty," she explained.

"Nymphadora," Albus said, earning a glare from the witch, "I do hope you didn't help Harry with his other assignments."

Tonks continued to glare at the headmaster as he continued his sentence and refused to answer, instead, focused her attention on the man next to her, "If you think about it, you know that Harry didn't mean to insult you, he _knows_ that you care for him and wouldn't hurt him. Don't be upset or mad at him. With everything that has happened, especially in the last year, his emotions are probably out of control. I'm sure it has helped just writing things down."

"Not if he doesn't protect the parchment it won't," Moody snorted.

"I'm not angry at him. Sadly, I fully understand what he was trying to point out, I just wish…"

"Yes?" Tonks encouraged when Remus trailed off.

Remus shook his head, not wanting to continue that thought; instead he turned to focus on the headmaster. "Albus, you really should read this."

"I will," the headmaster promised, "As I informed Alistair that is why I assigned it."

"No, I mean _now_," Remus emphasized, "Maybe then you'll agree with me about Harry not staying at his relatives by himself."

Albus shook his head, it seemed that the werewolf was determined to rescue his cub from his relatives and was willing to try any argument to do so. "Remus, my dear boy, how could a summer assignment concern you so?"

Tonks snickered and Moody just grinned, causing the headmaster to wonder what he said to trigger such a response.

"Maybe because this assignment is filled with references to death and killing," Remus dryly retorted.

"Now, now, Remus, there's no need to exaggerate," Albus paused in confusion when the room's occupants gave the same reaction they had moments earlier. "Only _one_ professor mentioned the killing curse and other unforgivables," Albus said pausing for a moment, "Although, I admit that I am disappointed that Harry focused on that year and lesson."

"Don't worry," Moody guffawed, "He gave equal attention to all five years."

"Just read the essay," Remus instructed when Albus when to open his mouth again, "Now."

When he hesitated, Tonks piped in, "I'll give you another reason," she said pausing dramatically before completing her sentence, "the title of his essay is '4 out of 5 DADA professors recommend that Harry Potter die."

Albus paled and his jaw dropped, causing his lemon drop to fall to the floor. He quickly reached across the table and took the offered essay out of Remus's hands, all the while casting glances at the three people seated with him, still not sure that this wasn't a joke sponsored by the Weasley twins.

A quick look with his own eyes confirmed what Tonks had said.

**Harry J. Potter  
****Sixth Year  
****Gryffindor House  
****What I learned from Defense Against the Dark Arts at Hogwart's **

**4 out of 5 DADA professors recommend that Harry Potter die **

'Oh dear,' he thought as began to read the essay.

"My dear boy," he quietly mumbled as he continued to read Harry's thoughts and feelings about his first five years of defense classes. "I never knew."

"Wonder what part he just read," Remus softly stated, looking at the headmaster for clues. "I can't imagine that anything happened at that school without him knowing."

"Come on," Tonks instructed as she pulled him away so that they could talk without overhearing or being overhead by the headmaster. "_Are_ you okay?"

"I'm fine," Remus answered, "It was just, well…"

"A shock?" Tonks supplied with a grin.

"Definitely," Remus agreed, quickly returning the grin before it faded. "I had no idea that Harry had been through all of that. I don't think Sirius knew all the details either."

"Probably not," she agreed softly, "Otherwise he wouldn't have let Harry return to Hogwart's for another year. He would've used his status as 'Voldemort's right-hand man' and staged a kidnapping. Most likely they would've hid here, after Sirius cancelled the fidelius charm and set up a new one."

Remus shook his head sadly, "I almost wish he had known then. Even if I couldn't see them, at least they would be alive."

"Hey," Tonks chided softly, "Harry's still alive."

"But for how long? Every year since he started Hogwart's he's been in danger. One of the reasons I taught there was to _protect_ him," Remus said in with a mocking laugh, "Yet, I, like so many others, almost got him killed."

"Remus, it was an _accident_. Yes, it could have ended much more tragically then it did, but it was still an accident. Harry doesn't hold it against you. Talk with him about it," Tonks encouraged.

"Okay," he agreed before continuing, "but that essay?" he continued, shaking his head in disbelief, "All of the things that have happened to him: trolls; teachers possessed by Voldemort; secret chambers; Basilisks; escaped prisoners; werewolfs; bewitched ancient artifacts; and ministry employees with a hidden vendetta."

"And that's just what happened in connection to _one_ class," she joked, "Imagine once you add in all his other classes and professors, not to mention all the other students."

"Oh, Merlin," Remus moaned as he leaned against the wall for support, "I don't know if I could handle hearing any more about Harry's life," he softly stated, "At least, not without giving into the idea of impersonating Sirius and staging a kidnapping."

Tonks laughed, "Come on," she said with a pull at his arm, "I think Albus is done reading the essay."

* * *

It was with a sad and burdened heart that Albus finished the essay. "I was aware of each of those instances," he sadly stated with a disbelieving shake of his head, "But even some of the details were a surprise to me. However, I believe that even if I knew everything, and I am sure that there is much Harry opted to leave out, seeing all of this written out back to back, in black and cream has me realizing just how much I have failed him."

"You aren't the only one," Remus responded, "But as Tonks said, I'm sure Harry didn't mean it like that. He wouldn't want you to take it personally."

"Whether he meant for me to interpret it that way or not," Albus declared, "the truth is that I've failed him. And not just him, but every other Hogwart's student as well. Hogwart's is a place students come to learn; it seems as though very few have acquired the necessary skills to defend themselves or a loved one. That has been made clear by recent events, as well as OWL and NEWT scores. But, Mr. Potter, Harry," Albus sighed, "He has had the additional stress of fighting for his right to live. Hogwart's should be a safe haven for all who reside within these walls. As Headmaster, it is up to me make sure that this is true, especially in these dangerous times."

"What are you going to do?"

"Everything I can to make sure that the next Defense Professor doesn't make Harry feel that 5 out of 6 of them want him dead."

"Albus?" Remus questioned softly, surprised at the note of fierce determination the headmaster's voice had held.

"All will be revealed in due time," Albus softly stated, "And if I'm lucky I can have that professor in place _before_ I receive Miss Granger's essay."

Remus chuckled before softly explaining their earlier conversation to Tonks and Moody.

"And what about Potter?" Moody asked softly, interrupting Albus's thoughts.

With a look at Remus, Albus answered, "Perhaps it isn't best for Harry to stay at his relatives."

"I'll go get him," Remus eagerly offered as he stood up from his chair.

"Wait," Albus ordered, stopping the werewolf in his tracks, "I'll still need a few days to arrange everything, until then Harry is safer where he is."

"But-"

"However, a don't think a visit would be out of order," Albus interrupted with a benevolent smile, "Just to confirm that he's okay and to inform him of the new plans," he explained.

"Now?" Remus asked as he exited the room.

"Now," Albus stated as he stood to catch up with Remus.

* * *

Hearing the door slam shut, Severus Snape returned to the kitchen, hoping that it was the wolf that had left and not the headmaster. To his joy he discovered that Lupin had exited the building, but to his dismay he also found that Albus left with him and that the kitchen was filled with aurors. More specifically, the paranoid retired auror and the clumsy one with pink hair.

"Snape," Moody growled, "Eavesdropping at doors again?"

Snape ignored the older man as he looked around the room, feeling the magical eye follow his every move. "Where's Albus?"

"Gone." Moody cackled, only increasing in sound as Snape glared at him for that answer.

"He and Remus went to check up on Harry," Tonks explained.

"Potter?" Snape snarled in disgust, "What did Lupin say to get the Headmaster to give into the crazy idea that everything was not copasetic with the boy?"

"Apparently it was something in Harry's essay," Tonks truthfully answered, waving her hand to indicate the parchment that they left on the table.

"Come on, Tonks," Moody said as he ushered her towards the door, "We have things to do."

* * *

"Moody," Tonks said after leaving the kitchen, "You know he's going to try to read that essay. We should've taken it with us. Harry was upset enough that _we_ read it, I don't think he'll appreciate the fact that we left it for Snape to read."

"Try is right," Moody laughed. "Tonks, do you remember me spelling some of Harry's parchment? Luckily the boy was smart enough to send his final essay on one of those pieces. Without the owner's permission, in this case, Albus's, no one would be able to see anything except the title lines that Harry wrote."

Tonk's jaw dropped open as she realized what Moody had done. She looked between the older auror and the kitchen door, "Can we spy on him? I want to see his reaction when he realizes that he can't read it."

"Tonks, that's childish, even for you," Moody began, only to pause when his companion snorted in disbelief.

"Yeah and setting him up like that isn't?" she muttered.

"And we best go before he finds out what we did," he completed, ignoring Tonk's remark, well, _verbally _ignoring it at least, the grin on his face indicated that he heard it and had no regrets about what he had done.

* * *

END CHAPTER 5 INTERCEPTED 

Probably not exactly what you expected, but here it is.

Of course, now I have another plot bunny of Sirius (B4 end of OOP, or Remus) staging a kidnapping of Harry once they heard everything that happened to HP during his years at Hogwart's.

UPCOMING:

CHAPTER 6 TEACHER, TEACHER ( Who is the new DADA professor? And what teacher reads the essay next?)  
CHAPTER 7 ALL IN YOUR MIND 

1/26/2007


	6. Teacher, Teacher

A/N not Beta'd…

Four Out Of Five DADA Professors Recommend  
Chapter 6  
Teacher, Teacher

After confirming that Moody and Tonks had left, Snape waved his wand to test for unfortunate hexes are on the parchment. When his scan came up negative he retrieved the parchment and unrolled it.

**Harry J. Potter  
****Sixth Year  
****Gryffindor House  
****What I learned from Defense Against the Dark Arts at Hogwart's**

Snape rolled his eyes at the subject the Headmaster assigned. Most likely the majority of the students would spend less then ten minutes on this assignment since no actual _work_ was involved. Severus wouldn't have been surprised if he discovered that Albus gave out similar homework assignments when he taught. How the Headmaster expected the students to learn when they didn't need to research or think about something Snape didn't know. Of course, it _did_ explain why so many students had trouble with those two items if other professors didn't require it of them. With a sigh, Severus unrolled the rest of the essay, at least it shouldn't be too long, since he doubted Potter or actually anyone could learn much from the rejects that Albus had hired for the last five years.

"What in the world?" Severus exclaimed as he perused the blank piece of parchment, except for the heading information. "Just like _Potter_," he snarled to himself as he tossed the almost empty parchment back on the table, "to be so arrogant and not complete an assignment, regardless of how easy it was."

Snape continued to glare at the parchment as if waiting for it to respond to his verbal attack on the author. After a few minutes he relented and picked up the homework assignment again. "If he wasn't going to write something, at least he could have sent less parchment," he complained as he unraveled the entire parchment, just to confirm that nothing was written on it.

A sound emerged from his throat. At first it was a soft snicker but it quickly changed into a sound most had never heard from the potions master before…a fully developed laugh, or, depending on your point of view, an evil cackle.

"No wonder Albus and the wolf went to see him," he said with another laugh, "Even _they_ couldn't disregard this blatant act of disrespect." He settled back in his chair, a smirk on his face, as he waited for the Headmaster to return.

* * *

"Harry?" Remus said when he caught sight of the boy laying on the ground. 

To most it would appear that the boy was relaxed, lying on his back, on the soft grass with his eyes closed. Remus, however, knew that this was not the case, not with this boy. He could see the worry and tension on the boy's face when Harry turned his head to greet him.

"Professor Lupin?" Harry asked, startled by the interruption of his thoughts. "How do I know it's really you?" he suspiciously asked, "And why are you here? Is everything okay? Is anyone hurt? Wh-"

"Stop," Remus interrupted. "No one is injured," he said to Harry's relief. "And I'm just here to see how you are.

"As for whether or not it's really me," Remus began. "Well, your third year I taught you the Patronus Charm, which happens to be in the form of stag for you…but I suppose many people are aware of that," Remus stated with a small smile. "Hmm, well, at the end of that year I was without the wolfsbane potion on the night of the full moon and almost caught you and your friends by the shrieking shack. Too many people were there for that to be accepted as well I suppose, including a Death Eater rat," he continued, only to shake his head as he dismissed that as well. "Your patronus form was your father's illegal animagus form. His nickname as well as those of his friend's appeared on a special parchment when activated by a password. But-"

"Enough," Harry stopped him, with a small laugh, "I believe it's you, but we will have to see about setting up a password, I really don't want to go through all that again."

"Understood, Harry," Remus said chuckling as well.

"Oh," Harry said as he moved to sit up and make more room on the blanket, "Take a seat."

"No, no, that's okay," Remus said, waving his wand and conjuring a low beach chair for him to sit on. "Stay comfortable."

"Oh," Harry repeated, "It's one of _those_ talks."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, whenever someone has bad news to tell me, they always make sure I'm comfortable first."

"Hmm," Remus hummed, "Well, I don't think you can say that that is always the case since I don't have any bad news for you."

"Uh-huh," Harry replied doubtfully before falling silent.

After a few moments Remus decided it was up to him to initiate the conversation "So, how are you doing?"

"Fine," Harry responded automatically.

"Honestly, Harry," Remus challenged.

"I'm fine," Harry reiterated.

Remus looked at him for a moment before saying, "well then, you're doing better than me."

At that, Harry looked at Remus, meeting his gaze. Harry wasn't sure what to say, he wasn't use to his professors or any adult for that matter being so honest with him. "Profes-"

"Remus, Harry," the werewolf interrupted with a small smile, "Call me Remus. I haven't been your professor for a few years."

"Why are you telling me this?" Harry whispered ignoring the issue of what to call the older man.

Remus shrugged, "I figured of anybody, you would understand. After all, you were one of the people who knew him best."

"I barely knew him," Harry softly protested.

"Maybe so, but you did love him."

"Did I?" Harry asked quietly, partly to himself. "Or did I love what he represented?

"Not only was he a connection to my parents, but he was my hope for a different type of life."

Remus fell silent as he listened to Harry talk.

"I guess I did love him," Harry decided, "enough to get him killed, at least."

Remus could be silent no more. "Harry, you _didn't_ get him killed. He _chose_ to be there. He knew it was dangerous and didn't heed anyone's advice. He did as he thought was right, just like you did."

"Well it couldn't have been more wrong," Harry harshly replied his voice filled with the anger he felt towards himself.

"Harry, you didn't know that. You couldn't have known."

"But if I had learned Occlumency," he began.

"It wouldn't have guaranteed that you could have kept him out of your mind."

"But-"

"It might have helped, but nothing is guaranteed. There is no other scar like yours, no one else has such a connection to another …" Remus paused not quite sure how to describe Voldemort. Person didn't seem to fit, nor did human, there was even some doubt whether he could be referred to as a _living_ soul. "Entity," he finally decided on.

"But-"

"No buts. What can I do to help you realize that this is not your fault? Yes, it was terrible and tragic and I wish it was different, but it's not. And _you_ are not to blame yourself. Sirius wouldn't like that at all."

"Remus is right," Albus spoke softly as he exited the shadows he was hiding in. "You are not to blame for Sirius' death. As I mentioned that night in my office, much of that should fall on me."

Harry nodded, not necessarily in agreement with the headmaster but because of the confirmation that it was Albus Dumbledore in front of him. After all, Harry hadn't told anyone else about what the two discussed in the headmaster's office.

"Why are you here?" He asked instead, the words coming out a bit harsher than he intended. "I mean," he corrected after seeing the saddened look on the headmaster's face and the one of disapproval and disappointment on Lupin's, "No one has ever visited me before during the summer and now I find _two_ people here. Prof-Remus said that nothing happened and no one is hurt, but if that was true then _why_ are you here?"

"Just to talk," Albus responded, "Just to talk."

"About?" Harry asked suspiciously. He really did not want to talk about Sirius or the prophecy.

The headmaster and Remus looked at each other. This was harder than they thought.

"I received your essay today," Albus finally said.

"Yeah, I sent it early this morning with Hedwig," Harry commented wondering about the sudden change in subject. "Wait…Is Hedwig okay? She wasn't hurt or anything was she?"

"No, not, not at all," the headmaster reassured Harry. "I suspect she is probably in your room waiting for you, most likely with some letters from your friends."

"Oh, okay," Harry said, relieved that his owl was safe, but otherwise not knowing what else to say.

"Harry," Remus said quietly, causing the boy to turn towards him, "I also read your essay."

"You did?" Harry automatically questioned, looking at the headmaster. Either the charm Moody placed on it hadn't worked or Dumbledore gave his former professor permission.

"So that's what this is about," Harry softly said to himself.

"Are you upset by what I wrote?" Harry asked. "I don't hold that night against you, honest. I know it might seem that way on parchment, but I really don't."

"Harry, stop," Remus interrupted. "It's okay. I understood the point you were trying to make."

Harry shrugged, "I don't know if I really had a point, at least not one that I was trying to make. I sat down and tried to write the essay, but all I could think about was the situations I was placed in due to the actions of the professors. I almost turned in a list comprised of spells I learned in Defense Against the Dark Arts classes the last five years, but even _I_ knew that that didn't count as an essay. Unfortunately what I did write wasn't much better. It made you out to be an attempted murderer, which I know you're not."

"Harry, stop," Remus repeated while Albus looked on silently. "As I said, I understand, I don't hold it against you. I am sorry that your life and those of your friends' was placed in danger because of me. That is something I can't forgive myself for."

"Because of you?" Harry hissed, "Because of you I _survived _that night. _Sirius_ survived that night. You were the one who taught me the Patronus spell. Without that I never would have gotten the chance to know Sirius. That spell saved our lives…our souls."

"Which you might not have needed if you weren't running from a werewolf," Remus mentioned.

"The Dementors were after Sirius," Harry reminded his former professor, "whether it was a full moon or not, they would have attacked the moment they detected him. They also would've attacked everyone around him. Then the odds wouldn't have been in our favor as much. Yes," Harry continued as if knowing what they were thinking, "there would've been more witches and wizards present, but I also know that Ron and Hermione didn't know how to cast that charm so that would've been two more people to protect as well, not to mention a rat to keep captured. I don't know about Snape, but I doubt he has a happy memory he could use to cast the patronus charm."

"Harry," Albus warned.

"What? I'm just saying that the one thing that would probably make him happy is either my expulsion from Hogwarts or my death and since neither had happened by that time, I figured he wouldn't have a strong enough memory."

Remus was torn between amusement at Harry's comment and anger. It seemed that Harry really did believe that many of his professors wanted him dead, and unfortunately, as his essay had shown, he had substantial proof to prove that theory.

"I also read your essay," Albus announced. Apparently Harry's words also reminded the headmaster about why they were here to talk with Harry.

Harry nodded, that was expected since it was assigned by the headmaster and addressed to him.

"My dear boy," Albus said softly, voice filled with sadness. "I never knew you felt so badly about your years at Hogwarts."

"What? But I don't!" Harry protested. "Even with all that happened it was much better than being at the Dursley's."

Remus growled, how could repeated attempts on his life be better than his relatives? That was something he was determined to find out.

"That does not matter," Albus responded sadly. "After much encouragement from Remus, I feel that it is not wise to leave you hear on your own. Therefore, as soon as it can be arranged, we will be moving you to a secure location."

"Grimmauld Place?" Harry asked.

Albus nodded, "For a few days at least. Then if you prefer, we can arrange for you to be somewhere else."

"Grimmauld Place is fine," Harry quietly stated. "As long as I'm not alone, I don't think that I would mind being there."

Albus nodded. "Good, that's settled then. Remus will return in about two days to pick you up and bring you to headquarters. We will let you know the exact date and time by owl."

"Um, who'll be there with me?"

"Remus, of course, and Nymphadora since she is still recovering," Albus responded. "Various order members will be in and out as well."

"It won't just be adults, will it?" Harry feared.

Remus snorted, "Better hope that Tonks doesn't learn that you referred to her as an adult," he warned Harry. "She's a lot like Sirius in that way."

"No, Harry, it won't just be adults," Albus reassured the teen. "Hopefully all of your friends, or at least the five that accompanied you to the ministry will be able to stay with you at some point this summer. I just cannot say who or when since that has not been arranged yet."

"Oh, okay," Harry said with a sigh of relief.

"No, my dear boy," Albus continued in a more serious tone, "I would never think about separating you from your friends this summer, especially since you might not see them next year."

"What!?" Harry screeched in shock.

"Albus?" Remus questioned full of concern.

"Am I going to be expelled for what happened last year?"

"Oh, my dear boy, no, of course not," Albus firmly answered. "But after reading your essay and seeing how badly Hogwarts-and it's staff-have failed the students, and most especially you, I wanted to give you an opportunity to make up for that."

"What kind of opportunity?" Harry warily asked.

"An offer to transfer you to another magical school for the remaining two years of your education," the Headmaster of Hogwarts announced causing the jaws of his companions to drop in shock.

"But…but, that's never been done before, according to Hogwarts a History and Hermione," Harry stuttered in shock.

Albus nodded, "Very true; Hogwart's has never accepted transfer students, nor has most other magical schools, but that is not to say that it can't be done."

Harry groaned, "I don't know if I want to be the first."

"It will not reflect negatively on you," Dumbledore promised him. "I've discovered a way to guarantee this and I have the cooperation of the other schools."

Harry nodded, deciding to trust the headmaster and not worry about the details. "But why?" he had to ask.

"Everyone should feel as safe at Hogwarts as they do in their own home. That has been denied to you, in both cases," Albus concluded sadly.

Harry shrugged dismissively, after all it's not like he had anything else to compare the situations to.

"It is _not_ all right," Remus said angrily before Harry could say a word about the situation. "I can't do anything about the school situation, but I _can_ have another talk with your relatives."

"I think it is best that you leave that to me," Albus said, eyes glittering with anger. "I will just leave the two of you to talk."

* * *

As Severus sat at the table, the blank essay in front of him, he imagined the punishment the headmaster and the wolf was meting out to the arrogant dunderhead who refused to complete a simple assignment. At each scenario his smirk grew until the last fictional scenario which made a broad smile appear on the potions master face. 

It was at this point that Albus and Remus returned, unnoticed by the kitchen's only occupant. The two men froze in the doorway in shock at the unusual sight: a _smiling _and relaxed Severus Snape.

"I'll see you later, Albus," Remus stated with another look at the potion master. "I want to work on what we were discussing. The sooner we have it accomplished, the sooner Harry can join us."

The smile quickly changed to a glare. "Potter," Snape snarled that one word conveying his feelings for the boy in question. As much as he would enjoy tormenting the wolf and insulting the boy Severus knew that it would be just enable the headmaster to attribute any later words he spoke against Potter as bias.

"That is fine, Remus," Albus stated, his gaze still on the dark hair figured across the room. "If you have any difficulties let me know. I will be down here discussing some things with Severus."

"And I have some items I would like to discuss with you," Severus returned rather pleasantly.

Remus shivered, a pleasant or at least civil Snape was a scarier sight than Voldemort, he decided. Still he hesitated before leaving. Part of him wanted to stay a bit longer, hoping that he would discover the reason why Snape was pleasant, as well as why he didn't attack Harry's character the moment his name was mentioned.

As if knowing why Remus opted to stay, the headmaster inquired of Severus, "And what are those items?"

"This," Snape replied with a smirk holding up a rolled parchment and dropping on the table in front of him, "Mr. Potter's essay."

Remus now wore a smirk that resembled Snape's. If Hogwarts' potion master had read the essay than he would know that Harry doesn't hate him. Dislike, yes, but hate…no. And if he realized that then it was also possible that Snape was trying to limit his insults to the author, especially since Harry wrote kind words about him. That could explain why Snape didn't react so violently at the mention of his cub's name.

Remus's smirk gave way to a smile when he mentally reviewed what Harry said about Snape in his essay. No doubt Severus came to the same conclusion as Harry had. Snape was a prime candidate for the Defense Against the Dark Arts professorship. _That_ would explain his good mood and lack of insulting remarks, Remus thought. Snape must believe that his dream job was imminent.

With a nod to himself Remus realized that he best leave the two professors alone to discuss such things. He quickly said goodbye and headed upstairs to prepare things for Harry's arrival.

Severus glared at the retreating wolf before focusing his gaze on the headmaster. "Albus," he snarled as he held up Potter's parchment, "What is this?"

"Mr. Potter's summer assignment."

"I gathered that from the heading information," Snape drawled, "But that doesn't explain the rest of it. I assumed that you and the wolf just discussed this _essay_ with Mr. Potter?"

"We did," Albus confirmed, "Among other things. But regarding the essay, I think Mr. Potter did a very accurate job of explaining himself and supporting his premise," the headmaster offered.

"What!" Snape snarled in disbelief.

"Much to my dismay," Albus continued sadly, disregarding Severus' interruption, "I find I must agree with Harry. Hogwart's and the professors, mostly myself, have not done an adequate job of protecting him. For most of his years here, he has been placed in life-dangering situations."

"Because of his own foolishness and stupidity," Snape snarled, "And speak for yourself about protecting the boy. I've done _everything_ I could to keep him alive, even if he didn't appreciate it or like it."

"I know, Severus, and Harry _does_ it appreciate it. He even addressed it in his essay."

"_What_ are you talking about, Albus?" Snape questioned in bewilderment, as he once more looked at the blank parchment. Potter hadn't address _anything_ in his essay.

"I understand your shock at the essay," Albus commiserated. "Remus had a similar reaction, which is what prompted the talk with Harry."

Snape smirked as he realized what must have happened. The wolf 'read' the essay and then informed the Headmaster of what it contained rather than let his cub get into trouble.

"And I suppose Lupin shared those lessons with you?" Snape sarcastically asked. "You took _his_ word regarding Potter's essay?"

"I was not planning on reading his essay right away," Albus admitted. "I was going to wait until I received a few more, but due to Remus's _shocking_ reaction," he started to inform his potion master.

Snape snorted, "Of course he was shocked. The wolf was the most scholarly one of the bunch, he must have been horrified to realize that he held a blank parchment in his hands."

"I decided to read the essay right away," Albus continued.

Again, Snape snorted, "How could you have? As I already told you this parchment is _blank_," he said as he slammed the 'essay' on the table. "It's just like a Potter to not care about schoolwork.

"Except for the heading information," Severus continued, "there is nothing on this parchment, and most definitely nothing about what Potter leaned during the last five years," Severus clarified. "Of course, with the _inadequate_ and _ineffective _Defense Against the Dark Arts professors you hired," Snape snickered casting his eyes upstairs where Lupin resided, "I was not expecting a long essay, but surely they were able to teach Potter _something_."

Albus's eyes twinkled for a moment as he realized why Severus had been so happy. As usual, it was the prospect of Potter being punished.

With a sigh as he thought more about what Harry did learn due to the Defense Against the Dark Arts class, he sadly said, "Harry learned a great many things from Defense Against the Dark Arts and his professors these past five years," Albus said softly, "Things no child should believe. While all the lessons he learnt might not have been regarding spells and incantations, he did learn a lot."

"What are you blathering on about?" Snape questioned.

Meeting the potion master's eyes, Albus took the essay and casually chanted a spell while waving his wand over the parchment. Within minutes a blue glow appeared around the parchment indicating that some type of privacy spell is on the document.

Snape's mouth grew taut as he realized that Potter had just made a fool of him, by casting a privacy spell on his homework. Wait a minute, he thought before smirking once again. "Potter did magic over the summer?" he questioned. "Does this mean that Fudge will be holding another trial for underage magic?" Snape would love to see how Potter got out of this situation, two trials within a year for the same offense? Not even the Wizarding World's Saviour can so blatantly break the law and get away with it.

"I rather suspect that the spell was cast by someone else," Albus admitted. "Both Alastor and Nymphadora had read the essay and had shocking reactions."

"Moody," Snape snarled, his eyes narrowing in thought as he remembered the auror's lack of hesitancy at leaving him alone in the house as well we his eagerness to leave. It would be just like the paranoid auror to set him up like this. "Did you have everyone in the order read your Golden Boy's essay?"

"No, of course not," Albus answered, "But I _am_ thinking about letting some of professors that are in the order read it. Minerva and Filius and, of course, you," he added.

"No, thank you," Snape snarled, "Nothing that boy says or write could impress me."

"Of course, of course," Albus said, eyes brightly twinkling.

* * *

Snape frowned as he watched the Potter boy leave the room, Lupin's eye's sadly following his every mood. Ever since the boy arrived at headquarters the previous day everyone, meaning Albus, Lupin, Moody, Tonks, and Mrs. Weasley had been coddling the boy. 

Molly's actions could be attributed to her mother-hen tendencies, but the others, Snape thought with a shake of his head. While he had no doubts that Albus and Lupin favored the boy they had never been so blatantly obvious about it before. Moody on the other hand never favored anybody. Everyone was treated with the same caution and suspicion. Until now. Until Potter, Severus thought. Tonks was also a puzzle. If Potter was a bit older or Tonks a few years younger Snape would have attributed it to hormones.

The only thing that connects those four, Molly easily being dismissed due to her mollycoddling nature, was Potter's essay. Snape frowned. If only there was some way he could discover what was in that essay without asking Albus if he could read it after all. He smirked, as his eyes rested upon the one of man in the room, perhaps there was…perhaps there was.

"Wolf," Snape addressed Lupin once Potter was out of sight. "I have a few questions regarding Potter's summer Defense assignment. As a _former _professor what did you think of it?"

At the spy's words, Tonks and Moody, who had been about to enter the room, stopped. Tonks wanted to know what Snape thought. Wondering if perhaps the snarky git would finally admit that he was wrong about Harry Potter. Moody, however, just looked at the former Death Eater suspiciously.

Remus paused as he thought about Severus' question. Now that the original shock had worn off, what _did_ he think? "Sad," he finally answered. "I'm not really sure what to think," he honestly responded, "But I must admit that I do feel sad."

"Oh for Merl-" Snape began before biting his tongue, if he wanted to find out what was in the essay, it would not do to antagonize those that read it. "Why?"

"Because even with all my _problems_, I can remember my years at Hogwart's fondly. I learned a lot, had fun and made some good friends with both the students and professors. It appears that Harry, unfortunately, won't have such memories."

"What about Quidditch and the house cup?" Severus remarked.

"Yes, those might be good memories, but even those pale in comparison to the pain he's suffered."

Severus just raised an eyebrow in silent inquiry, after all, it would not do to ask questions and show his ignorance about the essay.

"Think about it, Severus," Remus advised, "His first year Gryffindor won the cup," Snape growled as he remembered how the cup was stolen from his Slytherins. Remus nodded in agreement before continuing, "Exacly, they won only because Harry and his friends faced Voldemort and received points because of that. And remember, that same year during a Quidditch match, he almost died because his broom was hexed."

"Yes, I remember," Snape snidely remarked, "After all, that was the same match my robes _mysteriously_ caught fire."

"That was a lucky coincidence," Remus said softly, hiding his laughter since Harry had told him the truth about that when he shared his suspicion that Snape was the other professor mentioned in the essay.

"Lucky?" Severus repeated.

"Of course," Remus added, "Wasn't it right after that that Harry regained control of his broom?"

"If you're insinuating," Severus began angrily,

"No, no, not at all," Remus denied, "I know that you didn't _hex_ his broom."

"Hmm," Snape muttered, eyeing Lupin warily. Merlin, he hoped the wolf didn't know about him trying to _save_ the boy, if he did he would want to express his gratitude, most likely, Snape grimaced, in the form of friendship.

"What's this?" Moody gruffly spoke as he stepped into the room, "Snape's robes caught fire and Potter regained control of his broom? Sounds suspicious to me."

"Everything sounds suspicious to you, Mad Eye," Tonks injected dryly, taking a stand next to Moody. "But you do have a point."

"The _point_," Severus injected, "Of this conversation is about Potter's essay, not something that occurred five years ago."

"But they _are_ all related," Remus insisted, "after all, it was his Defense Professors that set the curse on his broom."

Snape stared at Remus is shock, while he knew that that was true, it still didn't explain how it involved Potter's mysterious essay.

Moody looked intensively at the only person in the room with the Dark Mark on his arm, "You didn't read the essay, Albus wouldn't let you" he announced gleefully, "and with the charm I placed on Potter's parchment you couldn't gather any details about it so you thought you would try to get us to tell you about it, no doubt so you could relay the information back to your _master_.

"You don't care what Remus thought about it," Moody continued with a scoff. "You never have cared about anyone other than yourself. Oh," Moody said sarcastically, "I correct myself, you _care_ about your master and what he wants to know. That's why you are here, to spy on us for _him_."

"Now-" Snape began angrily, it still annoyed him that after years of working with these people, after all the punishment he took at the Dark Lord's hand to bring back information to help the light and protect Potter that the only one who trusted him was the Headmaster.

"No," Moody interrupted angrily, "once a Death Eater, always a Death Eater."

"Alastor!" Albus yelled as he re-entered the room. "What is this about? You know that Severus has my complete and utter trust. Yes, he made a _mistake_ when he was young, but he learnt from it and changed.

"If we are to succeed against Voldemort we need to trust each other."

"Hmmph," Moody grumbled, "how can you blindly trust him? He hasn't brought any useful information back in ages."

"It's not blind trust," Albus commented softly meeting Snape's eyes. "I have a superb reason for feeling as I do."

"Then what is it?"

"_That_ is between Severus and myself. As for the lack of information, he has explained this before."

"That Voldemort is suspicious and isn't sharing the details of his plan with anyone?" Moody scoffed. "Sounds like a well thought out excuse if you ask me."

"No one did," Severus retorted snidely, only to be silenced by a look from the headmaster.

"And for your information, Alastor," Albus added, "I did give Severus permission to read Harry's essay."

* * *

"Enter," Albus called in response to the knock on his door. 

"If this is about Potter…" Severus snarled as he took a seat across from the older man. It was only a week ago that Potter was removed from his relatives house and implanted in Headquarters, and since the boy's mood hadn't changed at all during that time, _everyone,_ but Snape was running around indulging the boy.

"It's about _all_ the students," Albus merrily returned. "As you know, I asked every returning student to write an essay regarding what they have learned in Defense Against the Dark Arts, to my surprise, most of them have complied, some more eagerly than others."

"Ravenclaws," Snape sneered.

Albus inclined his head in non-verbal agreement. "As such, I have decided to seek assistance in reviewing these essays."

"Ask your pet wolf," Severus muttered bitterly, "I have enough to handle with my other duties."

"_Remus_," the headmaster stressed, "has already agreed to assist me."

"Then why do you need me?"

Albus smiled, "I have forgotten many things since I stopped teaching and became the headmaster. Foremost is the number of students there are in total."

"_You_-"

"Oh," he continued holding up a hand to keep his companion from speaking, "I know full well the _number_ of student's, rather it was forgetting how that number would relate to the number of _essay's_ that I forgot."

Snape stared at the older man in shock. One student equals one essay, what was so difficult about that. Perhaps the Dark Lord was correct and Albus Dumbledore is past his prime, physically, magically, and mentally.

"While I consider 542 a perfectly adequate number regarding student enrollment, 542 essays to review is a completely different story."

Snape snickered, perhaps now the old man would realize why he was always in such a bad mood.

"This seems like an ideal opportunity to train your new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor," Severus snarled instead.

"I agree," Albus stated, causing Snape's hopes to rise. "Unfortunately, however, these essays were assigned to help me determine the needs of our students and thus hire accordingly."

Snape simply met his words with a glare.

"I've divided the essays into four groups. Each of us will take a group and read through the essays. Feel free to mark the essays as they will be returned to the students. I was informed that some of the students would expect that."

"Ravenclaw," Severus muttered in agreement, more than likely if the essays weren't returned during their first Defense class the Ravenclaws would be asking for them.

"I would also like you to list on parchment noticeable items that the students mentioned. For instance," he paused as he picked up one essay, "this student mentioned that most of the professors didn't have practical knowledge."

Once again, Severus glared at the headmaster, wasn't that the same argument that he had given the last seven years?

"Fine," he reluctantly agreed, "I'll take the Slytherin's essays."

"Oh, no," Albus informed him, "Every group has an equal representation of each house."

"But-" Severus began, thinking that even if the headmaster refused to change the groups that perhaps he could trade some of the papers from other houses with Lupin for his Slytherin's essays.

"Furthermore," the wizened wizard continued, "the student's names, houses, and year have been concealed, leaving the reviewer in question of their identity."

Snape snarled, not only did that not allow him to trade papers, but now he had to review and comment on _every_ essay, just in case it belonged to a Ravenclaw.

"That is all," Albus announced, "Please pick a group," he instructed, indicating the remaining piles on his desk.

Automatically Snape grabbed a stack of papers, "At least I do not have to worry about reading Potter's essay," he murmured as he left the office, "since it was already _reviewed _by almost every order member"

* * *

"Albus," Snape hissed as he entered the kitchen of Grimmauld Place, ignoring the other occupants "what type of direction did you give the student's for this essay?" 

"I just asked them to write about what they learned in Defense Against the Dark Arts during their time at Hogwart's."

"That's it?" Severus questioned incredulously. "No length requirement?"

"No," Albus honestly replied, with a look at the laughing man next to him "Though Remus informs me that that was a mistake, especially regarding the Ravenclaws."

"And Gryffindor's," Snape informed him.

"Yes," Albus nodded, "I'm sure Miss Granger's essay will be quite detailed as well."

"It is not Miss Granger's essay you need to worry about," Severus snapped, "Look at this," he ordered passing the rolled parchment in his hands to the headmaster.

"Hmm," Albus murmured as he read the essay.

"That is all you have to say?" Snape snarled. "It is one paragraph long. He barely wrote three sentences!"

"Yes," the headmaster agreed, "But _he_ or _she_ did tell us what they learned."

Severus stared at the older man before grabbing the essay before the wolf did. "'I learned that Defense Against the Dark Arts was a waste of my time last year. Not only were there no demonstrations of the material from a capable instructor, but the students weren't allowed to attempt to perform the spells. In many ways this class was worse than History of Magic, at least that could be used to catch up on sleep or other assignments.'"

Remus snickered, so far none of the essays he had reviewed had been that short. "There is nothing that indicates that this essay was written by a Gryffindor," he felt obliged to point out.

Snape sneered, "Only a Gryffindor would have such a cavalier attitude regarding an assignment. It's a waste of parchment and a waste of my time."

Minerva gasped at the slur on her lions. While she didn't know any details about this essay or the assignment, it was quite obvious that Severus was insulting her house.

Remus snickered, as he thought about how much of Snape's precious time was being wasted to point out what a waste of time the essay was.

"I don't know," Remus countered with a grin, "Seems to me like a Slytherin might have written that."

"I beg your pardon?!" Snape scowled.

Remus nodded, "Yes, I'm sure of it. They completed the assignment by telling us that they learned nothing."

"Regardless," Albus interrupted, before an all-out house feud could start, or rather, continue, "We _did_ learn quite a few things from this essay."

"That we should provide the student's with pillows and blankets before they attend History of Magic _and_ Defense Against the Dark Arts?" Snape sneered.

"Like we didn't do the same thing in History of Magic," Remus commented.

"Obviously this student needs a hands-on approach to Defense Against the Dark Arts," Albus continued, ignoring both man's remarks. "Demonstrations by a _capable_ instructor and practical lessons as well as theory."

Remus snickered as Severus stormed out. He imagined the strict Potions Master was heading back to his dungeons, no doubt to brew a potion to calm his nerves.

* * *

"Albus!" Severus roared as he plowed through the door of 12 Grimmauld place, "Who wrote this?" 

"Why one of our past or current students," Albus responded, eyes twinkling.

"Obviously," Snape drawled. "However, I am looking for the _name_ of said student. I know that you know who wrote this."

"All of that information is carefully concealed," Albus explained again.

"Albus, there are sticky fingerprints on the parchment that smell like your lemon drops," Snape remarked. "Obviously you have read this essay. Now tell me who wrote it!"

"My dear boy," Albus began, "I read numerous essays from the students before I enlisted help."

"Trust me, you would have remember this one. Now tell me who it is."

"Now Severus, you know that the author won't be revealed until the paper has been read and a grade received."

"Fine," Severus muttered, "a 'T'. This student, whoever _he _or_ she_ may be, receives a T on this assignment."

"Severus," Minerva scolded as she entered the room, having overheard the potion master's comments. "What could a student possibly have written in their essay to warrant such a grade?"

"Read for yourself," Severus replied, handing her the rolled parchment.

"Yes, please do, Minerva," Albus added, granting her permission.

Minerva looked at the two professors before sighing and settling into a chair to read the controversial essay.

"Albus, you assigned this?" she asked as she read the assignment heading.

The Headmaster nodded solemnly. "I decided what better way to determine what the student's need than to ask them."

"I can understand the point of the essay," she spoke softly, "but now I also understand Severus's point about the lack of direction you gave."

Snape smirked. It wasn't often the deputy headmistress agreed with him, especially against Albus. "Just read the essay," he instructed causing Minerva to glare at him before focusing her attention to the parchment in her hands.

"What kind of cruel joke is this?" she muttered angrily, "Stating that _our_ professors want Harry dead. This person should be hexed."

Snape's smirk grew.

"Just continue reading," Albus encouraged.

"I never realized." She gasped a few minutes later, "Strangling? Disintegration? Poor Harry," she mumbled, eyes filling with tears, "he was only eleven…a child."

Snape's smirk started to disappear.

"Oh, my, he tried to obliviate Harry?" she quietly murmured. "It's a good thing he is already in St. Mungo's."

A frown started to appear on Severus's face.

"Poor Remus…no wonder why he felt it necessary to leave."

Snape should have known she would empathize with her Gryffindors.

"Oh, dear," she said, trying to hold back a sob. "I knew that tournament was a mistake," she angrily hissed. "Fourteen years old and he has had more involvement with death than some aurors I know."

Because of his own stupidity, Severus wanted to shout. If he hadn't continually tried to break the rules, he wouldn't have been involved in all those deaths.

"Oh!" she gasped in shock, "Some of the students thought Umbridge was a Death Eater?"

Snape raised in eyebrow. Was she that out of touch with her student's that she didn't hear all the rumors in the halls.

"Dementors!" she yelled as she tightly clutched the parchment she had been reading. "That _witch_ sent those Dementors to Harry that summer. If I ever get a hold of her or Fudge…" she hissed in warning before returning her attention to the remainder of the essay.

"Blood Quill! Veritaserum! Cruciatus! Where were _we_!" she muttered, angry at herself for not knowing any of this was happening at her school, to her beloved Gryffindor.

"I would say the ministry did more than make a _mistake_. And so did we," she softly added, "but that is no reason not to trust…"

"The poor boy," Minerva sighed sadly as she lowered the essay. "I never realized all that Harry had been through."

By the time she finished, Severus' scowl had deepened. She honestly didn't believe that that drivel was true, could she?

"Been through?" Snape echoed harshly, "What makes you think that information is true? I believe the _author_ of that so-called essay even said that 'you shouldn't believe everything you read'."

Minerva huffed, before turning to Albus, "Regardless, I would give this essay an 'O'. An 'Outstanding'," she repeated. "It is well thought out and provides ample evidence to support the premise."

"I would agree," Snape said to everyone's shock, "i_f_ this was an assignment for a creative writing class. However," he sarcastically continued, "It was not. And they might have given _ample evidence_," he stressed, "but we do not know that it is true. For all we know, one of our students is practicing to be the next Rita Skeeter. Therefore, this piece of _work_ and the student who wrote receives a T."

"Now, Severus, there's enough accurate information there to conclude that the events did occur as the author suggests," Albus stated.

"Perhaps," Severus dubiously agreed, "but there is also so much about the events and the past Defense Against the Dark Arts Professors not known to indicate that it could be the result of a student's fanciful imagination," Snape stated, causing Mad-Eye to grin.

As much as Moody didn't want to agree with the death eater, he did have a point. Albus kept many things to himself regarding the boy's years at Hogwart's that, unless you really knew Harry or had inside information regarding the past five years, it might seem like something that would happen to a fictional character due to someone's imagination.

Moody, Tonks, and Remus had arrived while Minerva was reading the essay. Due to the look on her face, and the sympathetic words she uttered, they realized what she had been reading. By unspoken agreement, the three had elected to stay quiet and not inform others of their presence at the time.

"It could be just as true to say that the author of this essay is insane and imagining plots where there weren't any," Snape continued pointedly.

"Now hold on a moment," Remus interrupted. "I don't believe this work is fictional or that the author is insane."

"You only say that because you were listed as the exception," Severus snarled. "Trying to protect him," Snape muttered with a disbelieving shake of his head. "And the rest of you believe it might be true because it involves your precious boy wonder…your golden boy," he sneered.

Severus sneered as he looked at the saddened faces of those around the room. "Wait," he commanded as he looked again at Lupin. "Potter!" He shouted suddenly, causing everyone to look around the room for Harry.

* * *

When Snape had yelled for the headmaster earlier, all six of the teenagers in the house quickly retreated into the safety of the bedrooms. The twins immediately began to draw up plans of revenge. After all, the greasy git was no longer _their_ professor. 

Harry, Hermione, Ron and Ginny however had escaped to the room Ron and Harry were staying in, the same one they had last year.

"Potter!"

The shout caused all six teens to jump.

The twins exited their room and abandoned their plans for mischief. Ron and Ginny went to the door, as if making sure Snape hadn't been eavesdropping on their conversation. Harry went to his truck and withdrew his invisibility cloak.

"Harry," Hermione scolded, "You shouldn't go down and listen to their conversation."

"Why not?" Harry said with a glare, "They're obviously talking about me."

"Yeah," Ron seconded. "And it's not like the greasy-git could deduct points or give detention over the summer. Especially in _Harry's_ house."

Hermione glared at her red-haired best friend for indirectly mentioning Sirius. "Still, it's not right. Not only is it rude to eavesdrop, but it could be Order business."

Harry snorted, "It's also rude to talk about others when they're not present either," he pointedly commented. "And even if it _is_ Order business, it's still about me and I think _not_ knowing is even more dangerous than listening to their conversations. Now, are you coming?"

"Yes," Hermione sighed in consent, "But only to make sure the two of you don't do anything foolish."

"What about the rest of us?" Ginny whined.

"Hush or they'll hear," Ron snapped angrily.

"Don't worry, Gin-Gin," Fred comforted, placing an arm around his little sister.

"We've got these," George continued, dangling a pair of extendable ears from his fingers.

"You don't mind,"

"Do you, Harry?" the twins asked.

Harry shrugged, "Since _I_ don't know what they're talking about, I have no idea if I might mind or not. But either way, I imagine you guys would still listen."

Fred and George had sad and shocked expressions on their faces.

"Harry,"

"Buddy,"

"Pal, were"

"Shocked"

"And saddened,"

"That you would"

"Think that"

"About us," they concluded.

Again, Harry snorted, "Doesn't make it any less true, though, does it?" he asked rhetorically. "But, no, I guess I really don't mind," he admitted. "Give the other end to us and we'll bring it down and put it in place."

"We'll wait here," Ginny informed the trio.

* * *

"Potter wrote this," Snape continued with a hiss. 

"Well, my boy," Albus commented, "who else could have so much accurate information about the situations in question."

"If it did not place Potter in a positive light I would say Rita Skeeter," Snape drawled.

"Positive!?" Remus roared. "It mentions him being attacked by every Defense professor for the last five years."

Severus nodded, "Yes, attacked by spirits, dementors, _werewolves_, and able to survive."

"He's a talented wizard," Remus argued.

"He's a _teenager,_ against creatures and professors more than twice his age," Snape snapped back. "You don't honestly believe this drivel is true, do you?"

"Albus," Minerva said, interrupting before things got worse, "Is it true? All that Harry wrote in his essay?"

All eyes turned to him. While none of them, except Snape, really believed that Harry would lie, perhaps one or two things were misconstrued or embellished.

"It is," Albus stated softly.

"_All_ of it?" Minerva repeated.

Albus nodded, "All that he wrote and all that he implied."

"Implied?" someone questioned.

Again Albus nodded, "Yes. The fact that the staff of Hogwarts, including myself, never noticed most of these things seriously makes me doubt my abilities as Headmaster."

"Honestly, Albus," Snape snapped, "Don't take it all so personally."

"Albus," Remus said calmly with a glare at Snape, "I'm sure Harry didn't mean it that way."

"Perhaps not," Albus agreed, "But none-the-less, it is true."

"In _your_ opinion," Snape murmured. "Potter could have approached any of us for help during the last five years, but he didn't. It is the boy's own arrogance that caused these events. Arrogance and stupidity," Snape determined. "Otherwise more students would have been in similar situations."

"Harry has a goodness and purity of heart about him," Albus stated quietly, ignoring Severus's snort of disbelief. "He couldn't help himself from trying to save the school or his classmates from some monster that was attacking."

"He should have approached one of the professors and informed them of what was happening," Snape repeated, "or at least," he snarled with a look of disgust at the essay, "What he _thought_ was happening."

"He tried," Minerva sadly stated, her shoulders slumped over in defeat. "First year, he tried," she repeated. "He and his friends came to me, stating that the stone was in danger from V-V-Voldemort," she admitted. "I didn't believe them. In _my_ arrogance, I had decided that _I_ knew better than three first years; that the protective measures we used would hold up to the most evil of tests.

"I sent them away without even hearing them out," she concluded with a sob.

"Now, Minerva," Albus comforted, "You couldn't have known. There was no sign that such a thing was happening."

Again Snape snorted in doubt.

"Something to add, Severus?" the Headmaster questioned.

"A troll finding its way into the castle isn't a sign? Hexed brooms, unicorns being slaughtered in the forest, reports of a dragon on campus, even if not confirmed?" Severus mocked, "Oh, no, no sign at all of evil plots at work."

"_You_ could have helped the boy," Moody challenged.

"_I_ was his number one suspect," Snape returned. "And I did help the boy, as often as I could. It is not my fault he would not accept it."

"Couldn't have anything to do with his attitude or how he treated Harry, now could it?" Tonks loudly whispered to Remus.

Snape glared at them, "Or perhaps it had something to do with Potter's arrogance," he stated.

"Stop it," Remus interrupted. "Obviously we're not going to agree on anything that involves Harry. And since we can't change the past, the only thing we can do is decide how to proceed."

"Well, said," Albus seconded.

"I for one," Minerva declared, "am going to trust Harry more and make sure I _listen_ to all my students, as well as investigate any claims they make before dismissing them.

"It wasn't just first year I hindered Harry," Minerva said thoughtfully. "I had no idea that Umbridge was using a blood quill on the students. I just cannot figure out why none of my Gryffindors said anything to me or any other professor."

Again Snape snorted, "That's the easy part. Your golden boy was the first to receive detention with the_ witch_. Not to mention that he had them practically everyday for over two weeks. Since he either didn't protest at the punishment or if nothing was done when he reported it, the other students most likely just followed his example.

"Most students probably believed that he reported it to the headmaster or his head of house, the deputy headmaster. If neither one of them could do anything about it, they probably believed that neither could any other professor."

Albus sighed sadly, "And I distanced myself from him last year to protect him," he said, his voice full of disgust with himself.

"Albus," Minerva said returning the comfort he earlier offered, "Don't go down that road. For all we know things might have been much worse if you hadn't. It is too late now to change things or to second-guess past decisions. What's done is done."

"Look at yourselves," Severus snarled in disgust, "Making yet _another_ exception for The-Boy-Who-Lived. If it wasn't Potter that wrote this, I am quite sure that _all _of you would agree with me that it deserves a 'T'. Yet since the _golden boy_ wrote the essay, not only do you want to award it an 'O', but you are all bending over backwards to please him. Moving him from his relatives care ahead of schedule; Giving into his every whim; Vowing to trust him," Severus continued with a shake of his head,

"It's a scam!" Snape shouted, "He's going to be uncontrollable come September, and in a few years he'll be out of school and let loose in the world, where he will continue to expect everyone to bow down before him" Severus predicted before storming out of the room.

"Is he right?" Minerva softly asked. "Are we doing more damage to Harry by giving in to him?"

Albus shook his head, "No, I do not believe so."

Remus nodded, "Outwardly Harry resembles James, but on the inside," Remus said with a sigh, "He is pure Lily."

"One Hundred percent Lily," Minerva stated in agreement. "We'll just have to make sure that once we return to Hogwarts Harry is held to the same rules as everyone other student."

"If Harry returns to Hogwarts," Albus corrected.

* * *

The moment Snape moved to storm out the trio quickly started to retreat back upstairs. After all, being caught by an angry Potions Master would not be a good thing, even in the summer. 

"You've got it made," Ron remarked once they were safely back in Harry's room. "MacGonagle vowed to be lenient with you!"

"That's not what she said," Hermione corrected.

Ron snorted, "Close enough," he muttered. "I figure she'll feel so guilty that you could get away with almost anything, even _after_ school starts.

"And Snape!" Ron hissed. "Even during the summer he has it out for you, Harry. Not that that's really a shock. Still, you can't let him get away with it."

"I'm more interested in what Professor Dumbledore said," Ginny stated softly, eyes focused on Harry.

"What?" Ron questioned, "Doubting his abilities as Headmaster?"

"No," Ginny said with a blush, "about Harry having a goodness and purity of heart about him."

"What!" Ron screeched, "Why would you care about _that_?"

All eyes turned to Ginny awaiting her answer. "I just find it interesting," she finally said.

"You _like _him still, don't you?" Ron muttered in embarrassment, turning red like his sister.

"Ron!" Hermione scolded, looking at an uncomfortable Harry. "That's not your business."

"It's my sister _and_ my best friend!" he argued. "Of course it's my business."

"Guys, enough," Harry interrupted.

"What we"

"Want to know," the twins began,

"Is exactly"

"What you"

"Wrote"

"And why," they finished.

"Yeah," Ron seconded.

"It was just the summer assignment from Dumbledore," Harry tried to explain.

Ron scoffed, "I doubt any homework assignment could get that kind of a reaction. Especially not any assignment that I got," he added skeptically.

"It's the same assignment," Harry promised his friend.

The twins exchanged glances, "Why would the _Headmaster_ assign homework?" one of them asked.

Ron shrugged, "Just something for Defense. He probably just figured that Umbridge hadn't, you know," he continued with a smirk, "given her sudden departure and all."

Once more Fred and George exchanged looks. Hardly any of the Defense Against the Dark Arts Professors had lasted till the end of the year, yet Dumbledore had never assigned homework before. As one, the twins looked to their sister, hoping she could supply more information.

With a sigh, Ginny explained, "Professor Dumbledore asked all returning students-"

"And graduating ones," Hermione injected.

Ginny rolled her eyes at the know-it-all's interruption and continued, "To write an essay about what they have learned from Defense Against the Dark Arts during their years at Hogwarts."

The twins eyed Harry, "Mate, what did you write?"

Harry shrugged uncomfortably, "Not much, just some things that I learned."

They nodded as if accepting that anwer.

Ron snorted, "How much could you learn with some of the idiots that they had to teach us?"

"Ron!"

"What? It's the truth, Hermione," he added defensively.

"So, Harry,"

"Can we read"

"This essay"

"Of yours?"

"Er," Harry stuttered, pretty sure he didn't want the twins to read it, "I already turned it in."

"Obviously," the twins said with a roll of their eyes, "But don't you have notes, or a copy of it? Perhaps a rough draft we can peruse?"

"It's a summer assignment with no real work involved," Ron snickered, "Why would he even need notes or a draft? Hermione's probably the only one who would keep that stuff anyway."

Alarmed, Harry's eyes met Hermione's, silently asking if she did have a copy of his essay. Hermione briefly inclined her head before turning away.

"Harry?" she called, "What did Professor Dumbledore mean when he said _if_ you return to Hogwarts?"

"What?!" Ron yelled in shock, "When did he say that?"

"As we were leaving to head back upstairs," Hermione explained. "We were too far away to hear what followed."

"Well, it's obvious, isn't it?" Ron informed his friends, "Snape is still trying to get Harry expelled, only this time, Dumbledore thinks he might succeed."

Hermione just looked at Ron before shaking her head, "Harry?" she asked.

"That's not it," Harry finally answered, he barely had time to think about Dumbledore's offer of a transfer and he definitely didn't want to talk about it now. "It's…well, let's just say that it's about Voldemort and his attacks."

"Oh, so Dumbledore is going to have you pulled from school to train you or something like that?" Ron supplied.

"Er…something like that," Harry readily agreed with a nod of his head.

Hermione, Fred and George just eyed The-Boy-Who-Lived suspiciously. For some reason, they didn't believe that was the complete truth.

"Oh, Merlin!" Ron suddenly cried in horror.

"What?" they all asked simultaneously as they turned to him.

"Grades!" he moaned. "We're being graded on this assignment! By Snape!"

Hermione huffed as the others just laughed.

"I'm serious!" Ron yelled. "I just turned in a listing of some of the spells we learned. Mum's going to kill me if I get a 'T'."

* * *

"I've decided to allow Harry Potter into the Order," Albus announced to everyone seated around the kitchen table of Grimmauld Place. 

The reactions were instantaneous and diverse.

Some just offered a single word comment.

"Finally," said Remus, Tonks, and Moody.

Some, remained silent, caught up in their own speculations.

Fred and George exchanged glances. Even when they were seventeen, Professor Dumbledore wouldn't allow them into the Order because they were still students. Part of them wondered if this had something to do with what the Headmaster said yesterday about Harry possibly not returning to Hogwarts. They also wondered if Harry Potter was blackmailing the Headmaster of Hogwart's, causing him to ignore his edict of fully-grown, out-of-school wizard.

Some were confused and bewildered.

Hestia and Kingsley couldn't imagine the Headmaster allowing the moody teen that they met last year into their secret organization. Perhaps there was another Harry Potter?

Some, well, one, anyway, was silently glaring at the headmaster.

Anyone who knew Severus Snape would be able to decipher that glare. It clearly relayed his horror at having more contact with 'that boy. Even though Severus understood the decision and would support it, that didn't mean that he had to like it.

Some wondered what had happened that caused the Headmaster to make this decision, while another one of them thought about how they could profit by it.

Bill Weasley and Sturgis Podmore remained silent. They didn't know Harry Potter that well, but had often heard many things about him. If even half of what they heard was true, then perhaps this wasn't as bad as an idea as it sounded. Dung however, just gazed past Dumbledore, dollar signs in his eyes. Surely someone, somewhere would be the chair 'the Chosen One' sat in during a meeting to battle his greatest foe, he thought,

And others were _very_ vocal about their objections.

"Albus," Molly Weasley cried, "He's just a child. Why are you endangering him in this way?"

"Mrs. Weasley," Severus interrupted, "In case you have not realized it from the report I gave earlier, Harry Potter is number one on the Dark Lord's capture and kill list. _Nothing_ said or done could endanger him more."

The twins looked between their mum and their former professor, wondering if she would react the way his Gryffindor student's did when he used that tone on them.

"Still," she began in protest, "He's just a child."

"He's never been a child," Snape snorted.

"You want him in the Order?" she asked, huffily. "Now I definitely protest."

"Of course I don't," he hissed. "He is enough of a menace now. However, if he was in the Order perhaps we could finally teach him how to think and examine situations before acting. Maybe that would decrease our casualties rather than our numbers."

Remus sucked in his breath at Snape's last statement. He had promised Albus that he would not antagonize the man during Order meetings, but after the meeting he was fair game.

"At the least it might better enable us to protect him," Severus concluded.

"I agree," Albus responded. "Many of the events from last year might have been prevented if both parties had information that the others had. If we share our information with him, he might be more inclined to share what he knows with us."

"So you want to use him for _information_?" Mrs. Weasley asked in disgust.

"Not at all," Albus disagreed. "But it is something that could help all of us. Mr. Potter has a tendency not to trust the adults in his life," this statement was met with nods from Moody, McGonagall, and Remus, "As such he doesn't tell them about things, but rather tries to handle the situation himself."

* * *

Snape was quiet as he placed the essays on the table in front of him, Potter's on the top. 

The headmaster just looked at him.

After a few minutes, Severus broke the silence. "I still hope you gave him a failing mark on this assignment."

"You are well aware that the grades given on this assignment were never meant to count against the student. The assignment itself was intended to gage the student's needs and skill level of the subject, both content and understanding."

"Regardless he took a school assignment and manipulated it to talk about himself. Always seeking attention," Snape hissed angrily. "He even wrote in his essay, about _himself_, mind you," the potions master reminded the headmaster, "That Lockhart was jealous of the boy's fame and that he had witches falling at his feet before he heard of Hogwarts."

"I do not believe he meant it the way it that way," Albus informed the younger wizard.

"At least have him redo the assignment," Snape tried to compromise. "You learned absolutely nothing of his skills or his understanding from this parchment. The only thing you learned was his opinion of himself, something I have been telling you for five years," Severus finished with a sneer.

"Perhaps I did not learn much about his skills or his understanding of defense," Albus agreed, "But I do believe that I learned something of far greater importance."

* * *

END CHAPTER 6 TEACHER, TEACHER 

I would love to know what you all think of this. There are a few lines/scenes in here that I can't help but chuckle over...

UPCOMING:  
CHAPTER 7 ALL IN YOUR MIND (We might finally know who the next DADA professor is...)

Again, this chapter is not beta'd. I apologize and hope that it isn't too difficult to read/understand. If anyone wants to beta this chapter (or the rest of this fic), please let me know.

Also, I'm sorry that it took so long to get this out, in my defense, I will remind you that originally this was meant as a one-shot that spiraled out of control (though I do have to admit that I like it and that it has grown in my mind as well...perhaps it will even be a full-length fic someday rather than just the reactions and consequences of people who have read Harry's essay).

I also apologize of Dung & the 'dollar signs in his eyes'. Not sure if that's an acceptable British thing (dollars vs. pounds, etc), but that phrase just stuck and I couldn't get around it at the time I posted this.

3/2/2008


	7. Double Trouble part I

**4 OUT OF 5  
****DOUBLE TROUBLE  
****Part I**

a/n This chapter starts when Harry (and Hermione) arrive at HQ, which is only a few days after RL & AD reads essay and _before_ Snape & McG do. At the beginning of the chap, RW hasn't done his essay, as it wasn't due until the end of July.

**4-5 DT**

"Albus, I'm going to pick up Harry now," Remus told the headmaster through the floo.

"So soon? It's barely seven?"

Remus shrugged, "We promised to get him out of there as soon as possible. Besides, I figured Harry and I could grab breakfast out."

"Don't tell Molly that, she won't like missing an opportunity to feed Harry," Albus said with a laugh, before turning serious. "The Weasley's are at Headquarters, aren't they?" Albus asked. "I promised Harry that he wouldn't be there with just adults for company. I truly do not want to break my word."

"They arrived the other day," Remus confirmed, "Hermione should arrive tonight as well."

"Good, good," Albus stated, nodding his head. "Be careful."

"Always," Remus grinned before withdrawing from the network.

**4-5 DT**

"Harry, please tell me you haven't done any homework yet," Ron pleaded as soon as Harry entered the room the two were to share at Headquarters.

"Er…Hi Ron, great to see you, too," a puzzled Harry addressed his friend.

"Yeah, hi," Ron greeted, impatiently adding, "Well, have you?"

"My summer has been good so far, yours?" Harry asked, hoping to distract his friend from the question he had asked. The way everyone has been reacting to his essay, Harry really didn't want to talk about homework with anyone.

"Yeah, great. Have you done any homework yet?"

Harry frowned, "Why the sudden preoccupation with homework?"

"Hermione's coming over," Ron explained.

"So?"

"So, the first thing she'll ask is if we've done any homework yet," Ron clarified. "How can I say no if you say yes? She's already written a couple of times and mentioned homework. She even wrote that she expected that I hadn't started mine but that you would have. I'll never hear the end of it if she's right. Merlin, I hate it when she's right, so please tell me that you haven't done any," Ron finished pleadingly.

"Why don't you just do a bit of homework," Harry suggested, "that would make her wrong."

"But it's summer!" Ron exclaimed. "And it's not due for _ages_!"

"And that's why Hermione is positive that you haven't done any yet," Ginny commented dryly as she entered the room before turning away from her brother. "Hi Harry."

"Hi," Harry responded.

"Yeah, well, she's the homework freak, not me."

"Don't call her that!" Harry snapped before storming out of the room.

"What's up with him?" Ron asked, staring after his best mate. "Hey! You didn't answer my question," Ron shouted after him, "Did you do any homework?"

"Ron, shut it," Ginny threatened.

"What? I just asked a simple question."

Ginny rolled her eyes, "Get a clue. You know he's usually emotional and sensitive after leaving the Dursley's. Plus it's only been a couple of weeks since he saw Sirius die, so his emotions are probably really out of control. As for homework, do you really think he's been able to think straight about anything, much less homework? Especially while he was at the _Dursley's_?

"There's also the fact that he just reentered the home of said recently deceased godfather and instead of welcoming him, you're demandingly asking him questions and insulting friends."

"It's just about homework," Ron said.

Ginny glared. "Apologize and be a _friend_," she ordered before she too stormed out of the room.

"What'd I do wrong?" Ron asked the empty room in confusion before leaving to find his best mate.

**4-5 DT**

"So," Ron said awkwardly, after he finally found Harry in Buckbeak's old room.

"If this is about homework," Harry began.

"No, no, it's not," Ron promised before once again awkwardly saying, "So,"

Harry sighed, "Ron, just spit it out,"

"Er, right, glad you're here," Ron began, "But, um, _why_ are you here so early? I mean, usually me and mum have to beg with Dumbledore to let you visit and even then half the time he says not yet or that it's too soon. This year, well, it's only been a few weeks. In fact," he said sheepishly, "Mum and I hadn't even asked Dumbledore if you could come yet, we just assumed the answer was going to be no. Mum was hoping that Dumbledore would allow you to come by your birthday, and was going to start working on Dumbledore next week. Boy was she surprised when Dumbledore said you would be coming today, so soon. W-"

"Ron, stop, I get it," Harry said putting a hand to his temple as if to ward off a headache.

"Good," Ron said with a nod, before continuing when Harry remained silent. "And I am glad you're here, away from those muggles. No doubt you need some friends around you-"

"Ron," Harry repeated.

"Right," Ron said with another nod, "So? Why are you here so soon?"

Harry hesitated once more, he really didn't want to explain the essay to anyone else, mostly he just wanted to forget about it. "It's like you just said, Dumbledore thought I could use some friends around me after everything that happened."

Ron nodded, "Gin, er I thought it must be something like that," he said, continuing when they both had stayed silent for a few minutes, "So, _did_ you do any homework yet?"

Harry groaned and fell back against the wall, softly banging his head against it.

**4-5 DT**

"Harry! Ron!" Hermione shouted as she entered the room the two wizards shared.

"Hermione!" Ron scolded, "Keep it down, Harry has a headache."

"Oh, sorry," Hermione apologized, looking carefully at the dark-haired wizard.

"It's all right, headache's gone," Harry replied, sitting up on his bed.

"Good," she announced, sitting on the bed beside him. "I'm glad. It's good to see you guys,"

"It's only been a few weeks," Ron muttered.

"I know," Hermione replied, "but sometimes letters aren't enough," she said with a pointed look at Harry. "So, how have you guys been? What have you been doing?"

Ron groaned, knowing that the 'H' word was going to be mentioned soon. "Fine and just normal summer stuff, except flying," he replied, "Can't really do that here. I was able to fly a bit at the Burrow when we were there, but not the same with just me and Gin. The twins have mostly been working, trying to get their shop ready."

Hermione tsked at the mention of the twin's store. "And you Harry?"

Harry shrugged and smiled at her, "Just normal summer stuff."

Hermione grinned and nodded in understanding, "So, I expect that we'll have some more cleaning to do this summer?"

"Er, no," Ron answered, "Dumbledore got the adults and house elves to work on that. Apparently Remus and Si-er, Remus found some pretty dark objects here during the last year," he finished, responding to Hermione's glare with one of his own.

Harry shook his head while his friend's exchanged glares. He might be sad about his godfather, but he wasn't going to fall apart at the sound of his name.

"So, what are we going to do then?" Hermione asked her two friends.

Ron's eyes widened and he shook his head while repeatedly mouthing the work 'no'.

Harry silently laughed at his best mate, since only hours earlier he had been the one continuously bringing up homework. Of course, since Hermione knew he already finished the Defense assignment, maybe they could start on the other subjects. "Well, there's always homework," he suggested.

"Harry!" Ron whined while Hermione gave Harry a proud hug.

"Great idea," she commented, "Now which assignment shall we do first? I suppose the best thing to do would be to do what we do at school, and work on the one that is due first."

"Hermione, it's summer," Ron explained, "None of it's due until the first day of classes."

"Ronald, did you forget that Professor Dumbledore gave us an assignment that is due the end of this month?"

"Er, no?" Ron responded, unconvincingly.

"Hmph," Hermione grunted, before excusing herself to get her books and parchment and suggesting that they do the same.

**4-5 DT**

"Harry?" Ron said, looking up from his blank parchment, "Why aren't you working on the Defense assignment for Dumbledore?"

"Oh," Harry muttered, giving Hermione a pleading look for help. "Er, I already worked on it."

"What? When? Hermione just got here," Ron asked in shock. "Oh, did you get a letter from her bugging you about homework as well?" Ron commented, earning a glare from both of his friends.

"I worked on it at the Dursley's," Harry stated, noticing his friend's eyes widening in shock, "And no, I didn't get a letter asking about homework, I just needed something to get my mind off things and that seemed like a good idea at the time."

"Oh," Ron said, somewhat appeased. "Well, that's okay then. Why don't you get it out and help me?"

"Ron, Harry's not going to let you cheat."

"It's not cheating," Ron explained, "It's _helping_."

"Who's helping?" Ginny asked as she entered the room.

"Harry. He already worked on his Defense assignment."

"Great!" Ginny exclaimed, giving Harry a smile, "He can help me then."

"He'll help _me_," Ron corrected. "Get your own friends to do your homework with."

Ginny glared at her brother, "In case you didn't notice, the four of us are the only students here and since this is Headquarters for the Order of the Phoenix, it's not like I can ask someone to floo over."

"Yeah, yeah," Ron said dismissively.

"Why don't you have Hermione help you," Ginny sweetly suggested.

"Because she won't let me _read_ her homework," Ron explained.

"Reading Harry's assignment? That sounds like cheating to me," Ginny offered her opinion.

"It's not cheating, it's _helping_," Ron stressed again.

Ginny raised an eyebrow, "In all the times that Hermione _helped_ you, has she ever give you her assignment to read?"

"Well, no," Ron admitted, "But that's Hermione. This is Harry."

"And your point is?" Hermione asked angrily.

"Look, we all have the same assignment," Ginny intervened, "Why don't we just work on it together."

Harry shrugged, "Sorry, Ginny, I can't help you."

"HA!" Ron shouted gleefully, "that's because you'll be helping me, right mate?"

"No, it's because I already finished it," Harry said, continuing when Ron opened his mouth, "_and_ I already turned it in."

"Already?" Both Weasley's asked in shocked.

Harry shrugged, "Things were a bit better at the Dursley's this year," Harry began quietly, "But I learned not to leave things lying around Privet Drive, especially finished homework assignments." Harry grimaced as he remembered the reactions of those who read the assignment when he had left it lying around at Privet Drive.

Ron nodded, mistaking his grimace for the thought of having to redo an assignment because someone ruined it or binned it. "Yeah, homework is bad enough the first time, I'd hate having to spend more time to do it again, ugh," he commiserated.

Ginny shook her head, "Well, surely you remember _something_ from the assignment and can help us," she said, looking at him pleadingly.

"Er, no, not really," Harry said, since he was trying very hard not to remember that essay. "I used the essay as an excuse not to think about other things, but I don't really remember working on the essay if that makes sense," Harry continued, "It practically wrote itself. Once I started it just, er, flowed," was all he offered as an explanation.

Both Ginny and Hermione frowned, before the former commented, "It's the start I'm having trouble with. Every way I think of sounds so boring or dry, like one of our textbooks or Binns."

**4-5 DT**

"Hey, Harry,"

"Hermione?" a groggy Harry asked as he was shaken awake. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing."

Harry sat up and looked around the room for a moment before focusing on his friend. "Er, then why are you waking me up in the middle of the night and whispering?"

"I just wanted to talk, and keep it quiet."

"Oh…should I wake Ron up?"

"No!" she hissed, casting glances at where the red-head was sleeping, making sure that he hadn't woken.

"Um, okay," Harry said before falling silent and staring at Hermione in expectation.

"What?" Hermione asked self-consciously, smoothing down her hair when Harry continued to stare at her.

"You said you wanted to talk, so talk."

"Oh, right," she said with a blush. "I was just wondering if you _really_ didn't remember working on your essay."

"What? Why?"

"Harry, just answer me please," she begged.

"No, I remember," Harry admitted, "I don't think I ever worked so hard on an essay before."

"But you told Ron and Ginny that it just flowed," she accused.

Harry shrugged, "It did. In fact, as much as I tried to write something else, I couldn't. And between your proof-reading and suggestions, Tonks and Mad-Eye's input, and Aunt Petunia's comments-"

"Your _aunt_ read this? Wait, you let _Aurors _read this?"

Harry snorted, "I didn't _let_ them; and I also meant what I said when I told Ron that I learned not to leave essays lying around Privet Drive. I had it on my desk since I was rewriting the copy from your corrections, she saw it, read it and added her own corrections and input."

"What!" Hermione hissed. "What corrections?" Hermione demanded to know. "Is she accusing me of not doing a good job proof-reading your essay?"

"Whoa, Hermione. She didn't accuse you of anything. If anything she was trying to accuse me of something. She saw the word kill and thought I might be planning on killing them or something. She read the essay and well, before Dudley was born she was a teacher and instinct just took over."

"Still," Hermione argued, "I'm sure I did a very good job of proof-reading your essay."

"I'm sure you did," he said in agreement, wanting to go back to sleep, "No, I'm _positive_ you did, like you always do," Harry corrected himself when she continued to frown, "Otherwise I wouldn't ask you to do it."

Hermione absently nodded, accepting his words, but mentally thinking about his essay, wondering what she might have missed.

"Anything else?" Harry asked, interrupting her thoughts.

"Aurors?" she inquired.

Harry sighed before he started a quick explanation, since he wanted to go back to sleep, "I took the essay outside to work on. Tonks and Mad-Eye were on guard duty. I had to leave the essay outside when Vernon called me in. The wind started to blow away the pages, Tonks went to gather them up and saw the title,"

Hermione smiled as she interrupted, "And after an exclamation of surprise at the title, had to read the essay."

"Something like that," Harry said, not knowing how Tonks reacted to the title of his essay. "Anyway, she got Mad-Eye to read it as well, and that is why aurors read my essay," he explained. "Trust me, I didn't expect anyone other than Dumbledore to read it.

"And you," he added when she frowned.

Hermione absently nodded, "Yes, it does seem like an extraordinary number of people have read your summer homework considering that school has started yet."

"Tell me about it," Harry snorted at the understatement. "So is that it? Was that all you wanted to talk about? Can I go back to sleep now?"

"Oh, no, not at all," Hermione explained. "Though it does explain why Professor Moody has been treating you so differently."

Harry frowned, "No he hasn't."

Hermione raised an eyebrow, "Yes, he has," she argued. "Every time he comes over he makes it a point of talking to you. He also seems to trust you more than anyone else, except Professor Dumbledore, of course."

"Every time?" Harry repeated skeptically, "He's been over, what, twice?"

"Four times, every day since I, _you"_ she corrected, "arrived."

"Coincidence," Harry said, dismissing it. He hadn't noticed anything unusual, of course, he also hadn't had much contact with Mad-Eye or most of the other order members during the summer.

"Trust me," Hermione said, "Last year he usually just arrived, only talked to someone if he had to, _and _it was probably about order business. He would use a lot of spells to protect his privacy. Anyway, once the conversation ended, he would retreat into the background and wait for the meeting to start. He would stay in that spot, watching everything and everyone until Professor Dumbledore started the meeting. After the meeting, he would talk privately with the headmaster and perhaps follow up with someone else before leaving. He kept his eye on us 'kids', but never talked to us."

"Oh,"

Hermione nodded, "As you can see his behavior this summer is quite different. He now makes it a point to speak with you, and while he still uses various protection charms, he spends more time talking with you than anyone else, excepting Professor Dumbledore, again.I wouldn't be surprise if even _Ron_ noticed the change in his behavior.

Harry snorted at Hermione's last comment, before replying. "Well, you might _think_ he's acting differently, but it doesn't necessarily mean that it's because of my essay."

"What else could it be?"

Harry shrugged, "I don't know. Maybe because of everything that's happened this last year?"

"Like you writing an essay cataloguing your years at Hogwart's?" she commented with a grin.

Harry frowned, "You know that when I wrote the essay, I didn't expect this reaction from everyone, don't you?"

"I know," Hermione agreed, "After all, you said you hadn't planned on anyone reading your essay. However, what I really wanted to know was why you didn't want to talk to Ron and Ginny about your essay."

Harry stared at her, "And you had to wake me up in the middle of the night to do that?"

"Honestly, Harry, I couldn't very well ask you when they were in the room, now could I? If I did you would be doing the very thing you seemed to be avoiding."

"I suppose," Harry said surprised that he understood that as tired as he was.

"So?" Hermione impatiently asked, "Why don't you want them to know? And is it both of them or just one of them?"

Harry shrugged, "Truthfully, I just want to forget all about the essay. So much has happened because of it."

"Like?"

"On the plus side, I was able to leave the Dursley's earlier than normal; however, on the negative side, well, if you're right, Moody, everyone is treating me differently; and Dumbledore..." Harry trailed off.

"What? Is he angry?"

"No, at least not at me," Harry answered. "He seems to be upset with himself. Angry that he didn't know all that happened, that I hadn't been safe at Hogwart's."

"But…he really didn't know?"

Harry shrugged again, "Bits and pieces, but not everything, and not all laid out like that. Apparently it was very different reading about it from my perspective, especially since it involved his hiring choices."

Hermione nodded. "I can understand that. I was with you during most of it, and I was still shocked by it," she said before the two fell into a comfortable silence.

"So, Ron and Ginny?" Hermione reminded him.

"It's nothing against them, but as I said, I just want to forget about it," Harry said, pausing for a moment, "Though now that I think about it, I'm not sure how they would react. Ron might laugh at the title and probably tease me about being a drama queen. Ginny," Harry blushed and looked away, "I _really_ don't want to see how she'll react. She just started being able to talk to me like a normal person, though she usually blushes while doing so," Harry commented with a frown. "But mostly, I really don't want anything to remind her about the chamber, or my involvement in it. Besides, they really don't need to know about it, after all, it was just a summer assignment."

This time it was Hermione who snorted.

**4-5 DT**

"Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" Fred asked as he and his twin rolled up the extendable ears they had used to listen to Harry and Hermione's conversation.

"Of course, we're twins and according to our mother, we share one brain," George replied with a grin.

"We have to know what was in that essay," the two stated in unison.

"Harry's years at Hogwarts, that would be worth millions."

"And not just in galleons. Think of all the jokes."

"The only question is how do we read the essay? Harry already turned it in to Dumbledore."

"And not only does Harry not want anyone to know about it, he also doesn't want to talk about it."

"And sadly, we can't trick Ron into telling us about it since he doesn't know."

"We could ask Hermione," George began. "Except that she's more protective of Harry than she is anything else. After all, look at the hex she put on the parchment for Dumbledore's Army."

"Dumbledore," Fred stated. "Perhaps we can get the essay from him?"

"How?"

"What?" Fred asked angrily glaring at his brother, "Do I have to come up with _all_ the good ideas?"

George rolled his eyes before commenting, "I don't know about you, but if a snuck into my room in the middle of night and woke me up, while making sure that my roommate stayed asleep, I'll do or say anything she wanted me to."

Fred snorted, "So not what I expected when Hermione snuck into Ronnie's room."

"That reminds me, you owe me a galleon."

"Do not."

"Do."

"Not."

"Do...you bet that Hermione was sneaking in there to put the moves on Ron, I disagreed."

"Well, she didn't put the moves on Harry either, so neither of us wins. It's a draw and I keep my galleon."

"You would," George agreed, "If I said she was going in there to put the moves on Harry. All I said was that she was going in there to _see_ Harry, not Ron. My galleon?" he asked, holding out his hand.

"You…I…oh, bugger."

**4-5 DT**

"Harry, what's going on?" Ron asked as the four students sat in the boys' room, working on homework.

"What do you mean?" A puzzled Harry asked.

"Well, I already mentioned how surprising it was to see you so soon," Ron reminded his friend, "And besides that, have you noticed that everyone, all the adults I mean, are treating you differently," Ron pointed out.

Harry shrugged, avoiding Hermione's eyes and knowing smile.

"He did have a very challenging year," Hermione offered as an explanation.

Ron snorted, "Not that much worse than any other year," he said. "OUCH! What was that for?" he asked Ginny, rubbing his arm where she smacked him.

Ginny glared at him, "It was a bit more traumatic than usual, _remember_?"

"Yeah, but still," Ron argued, "that doesn't merit the treatment he's getting. I mean, from mum and Tonks, maybe, they're _girls, _but Mad-Eye?" Ron paused and shook his head. "Something is going on." Ron finished looking curiously at Harry, continuing when his friend remained silent. "Did you have another vision? Perhaps something that saved Mad-Eye's life? That might explain why he's so…_respectful _to you."

At the word vision, Harry started shaking his head, "No, no visions this summer."

"Then why?" Ron wanted to know.

"Why no visions?" Harry asked, deliberately misunderstanding Ron's question in hopes of distracting the two Weasleys. "Not sure, the headmaster thinks Voldemort was injured, er mentally, when he tried to possess me and I forced him out."

"Really?" Ron asked, his voice hinting that he was impressed.

"Yeah," Harry began.

"Harry," Ginny interrupted, "I think he meant why Moody, everyone is treating you differently."

"Oh," Harry shrugged, not that surprised that the distraction didn't work on her. "_I_ honestly haven't noticed him treating me differently."

"Well, I'm not imagining it," Ron stated. "H-"

"Ron," Ginny interrupted, "Harry wasn't here last year when the Order gathered for meetings. I think what he means is that he has nothing to compare Moody's behavior to."

"Yeah, exactly," Harry said with a nod, not wanting Ron upset with him.

"Well, he is," Ron stated matter of factly. "Again, the question is _why_?"

"I really don't _know_ why." He stated, careful not to meet Hermoine's gaze.

"Don't you?" The twins asked as they opened the door, extendable ears dangling from their hands.

"Er, no," Harry stated.

"We heard it was because of something you did," George informed the younger teens.

"What?" Ron demanded to know.

"Harry knows," Fred spoke.

"No, I honestly don't," Harry argued. "I can't think of anything I did that would make them treat me differently. Hermione thinks it might be because of what happened last year, but…" Harry stopped and just shrugged his shoulders.

"Does she now?" Fred asked skeptically.

"Oh, no, it's definitely because of something you did," George commented.

"Or rather," Fred corrected, looking straight at Harry, "Something you _wrote_."

Harry paled at those words.

"Ah, he _does_ know," George gleefully announced to his twin and the other teens.

"Harry?" Ginny asked in concern. "What is it?"

Seeing that Harry was too shocked to speak, Fred answered, "Just a summer assignment…for Dumbledore."

"We overheard a few conversations talking about it, including one between Mad-Eye and Lupin."

"But….but…" Harry stammered.

"I have to say, I am mighty curious as to what can get reactions like that from all the adults,"

"Not to mention, Harry," George continued, pointing at the dark-haired teen who sat in shock on the bed.

"Well, ta-ta, our work here is done," Fred said as he and his twin left the room, closing the door behind them.

"I knew I shouldn't have written that," Harry mumbled before falling back onto the bed.

Hermione immediately headed over to him, to comfort him that everything would be all right.

"Written what?" Ron asked.

"His summer essay for the Headmaster," Ginny replied, smacking her brother on the arm, "Idiot."

"Ouch!" Ron protested, "It was a homework assignment, he _had_ to write it."

Ginny nodded, "He had to write it, but he didn't have to write what he did."

"Huh?"

Ginny just shook her head. "Obviously Harry wrote something in his essay that a) impacted the headmaster enough that he let members of the order read it; b) impacted those members enough that they changed how they interact with Harry; and c) Harry now regrets writing."

"But what?" Ron asked. "What could he have written that would effect him or them like that?"

Ginny shrugged, "I don't know. All I do know is that Harry is not in any condition right now to let us know," she concluded, looking at the still shocked Harry.

**4-5 DT**

"Headmaster Dumbledore," Fred began as he and his twin saw the headmaster in the kitchen.

"Now boys," Molly injected, "Unless this is about the two of you returning to Hogwart's and taking your NEWTs, you don't need to bother the headmaster. I'm sure he's very busy and has a lot to do."

"We only-"

"Fred, George," their mother interrupted,

"It's all right, Molly," Albus intervened, "I'm always glad to talk with former students."

"Hmph," Molly grumbled as she turned away, "former students who didn't graduate or take their NEWTs."

"We're just curious as to why you didn't ask us to complete the Defense Against the Dark Arts Homework you assigned."

"Homework?" Molly repeated happily, "Oh, boys, you _are_ returning to school!"

"Um, actually mum, no we're not," Fred stated, casting looks at his twin. "Headmaster Dumbledore asked previous students"

"Even those _not_ returning," George injected.

"To complete this assignment,"

"It is more like an assessment," Albus commented.

"Right, an assessment," Fred repeated, causing Molly to sigh in resignation before leaving the room.

"Whatever you want to call it," George stated, "We figure we could give some valuable input."

"No doubt you could," Albus chuckled, "However, I've only read one essay so far and truthfully, I'm not sure if my old heart can handle any more input."

Fred and George exchanged looks, communicating without a word that their former headmaster would not be receptive to any more questions at this time. "Well, sir, if you change your mind, you know where to find us."

"Here or 93 Diagon Alley, home of Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes," Fred concluded before setting off their trademark fireworks.

"Fred! George!" Molly yelled from upstairs after hearing the fireworks.

"Right, well, nice seeing you again,"

"We gotta go," they said before exiting the kitchen and house.

**4-5 DT**

"Why not?" Ron asked his best mate. "I only have a few days left to finish it and I could use the help."

"Ronald, Harry's not going to do your essay for you," Hermione responded before Harry could, "Nor will he let you copy his essay."

"He can't copy it, I already turned it in, remember?" Harry reminded his friends.

"I don't want him to do it for me," Ron said, ignoring Harry, "Just tell me about his, like a guide. Did he do it as an essay essay, you know, paragraphs and sentences and if so, how long? A paragraph for each year? Or did he do it more like a shopping list, just listing what he learned?"

"Oh, honestly," Hermione grumbled. "First, just listing what you learned does not constitute an essay; and second, it seems to me you only have a few days to _start_ and complete your essay rather than just finish it."

"Well, yeah," Ron sheepishly admitted, "Which is why I need the help. It's not really any different than how we do our homework during the school year, especially divination homework."

Hermione just glared at the two boys.

"Fine," Ron grumbled, turning to Harry, "Can you at least tell me how long your essay was?"

"Er," Harry hesitated, not sure he wanted to admit this, "About the same as most of our essays," he finally responded, causing Hermione to start coughing, "Or maybe a bit more," he corrected, causing Hermoine to cough again.

"Hermione, maybe you should get some water," Ron suggested before turning towards Harry, "How much longer? A few sentences longer or almost as long as Hermoine's 'short' essays?"

"Hey!"

"Er…" Harry hesitated before sheepishly admitting, "About the combined length of our longest essays."

Ron's jaw dropped.

"What?" Harry defensively asked, "Defense is my best subject, okay?"

Hermione coughed, causing Ron to look at her in concern. "Seriously, get some water," Ron said before turning to Harry.

"But…but," Ron sputtered, "Our longest essays would be about two feet each. Those added together would be about four feet. Given how you try to understate things," Ron said to Harry with a grin. "Bloody hell! That would make your essay about five feet! How could you have learned that much? Except for Lupin, most of the professors we had were trash."

"Ron!" Hermione scolded, "They were still our professors, you should show them some respect."

"You want me to show a convicted Death Eater, who took advantage of his mother's illness and death respect?" Ron taunted.

"Okay, perhaps not Crouch," Hermione relented, "but you don't have to insult them like that. I'm sure each of them had some good points. Harry shows them respect and most of them attempted to kill him at one point or another."

Harry glared at Hermione while Ron shrugged not wanting to get distracted by arguing with Hermione.

"Harry, mate, what's going on?" Ron asked, turning back to his best mate. "First you finish the assignment _weeks_ before it is due and second, you turn it in _before_ that due date and third, you won't tell anyone about it, and fourth, it's _five feet long_! Mate," Ron said, a serious expression on his face, "I think you might be possessed by Hermione."

"Ron!" Hermione hissed, "That's not something to joke about, especially after Quirrell in our first year, your sister in our second year, and Harry's experience last year."

"Who's joking?" Ron mumbled.

"And there's nothing wrong with putting in some effort with schoolwork."

"But it's summer," Ron argued, before faking agreement. "Yeah, yeah, effort. But still Harry, five _feet_?"

Harry just shrugged.

"What's five feet?" Ginny asked, as she entered the room, "Oh, mum wanted me to tell you that there's a meeting tonight so dinner will be early."

"Harry's defense homework," Ron responded, dismissing the second half of her statement.

"Oh, that again," Ginny said.

"If you're bored with the subject, you can leave," Ron argued, "especially since it doesn't concern you."

"Actually, it's more like Harry's homework doesn't concern _you_," Ginny corrected.

"I'm his best mate!"

"So? What does that have to do with anything?"

"If Harry learned enough in Defense to write a five foot essay, I can't turn in an essay that's only one paragraph."

Ginny snorted at the idea that Ron's homework was only one paragraph before the rest of his statement registered. "Wait, what? Harry's essay was _five feet_?"

Harry shrugged again, "I didn't have anything else to do at the Dursley's?" he offered as an explanation, continuing when the two red-heads remained silent, "And I like defense."

Harry glared at Hermione when she snorted and mumbled something about 'just not defense professors,' that luckily the other occupants didn't hear.

"Please?" Ron begged, "Just a bit of an outline?"

"No," Harry informed Ron once again, "I'm sure we'll have different view points regarding what we learned and any input from anyone else will be noticeable in your essay," he said, causing Hermione to once again snicker. "But I'm sure once it's done, Hermione would look it over for spelling errors and such, right Hermione?"

"Yes, of course, if there's time," Hermione agreed, glaring at Harry. "And speaking of time, you better get it done and turned in soon. With the Headmaster here everyday, if you don't turn it in on time, he'll probably mention it to your mum."

"Oh, Merlin," Ron muttered before both he and his sister retreated upstairs to work on their assignment.

"Harry, why did you volunteer me to proofread it for him?" Hermione asked with a glare.

Harry snickered, "One, because you would have anyway, if he asked; and two, for coughing like that. You're lucky Ron didn't catch on that you knew more about my essay than you should have. Of course, if he did, he would be bugging you about it as much as he's been bugging me, maybe even giving me a bit of peace. There's also the fact that you almost gave them the title of my essay."

"Sorry, about coughing, but you were understating a few things," Hermione offered. "As for the title of your essay, I just said that most of them tried to kill you, it's not like that is news to Ron…or at least it shouldn't be," she said after a pause.

"You're still lucky Ron hasn't realized that you know more than you should about my essay," Harry pointed out before giving a shrug of his shoulders, "Doesn't matter anyway, all the essays are due in by the end of the week and after that, I'll never have to hear about them again."

**4-5 DT**

"Albus," Molly hesitantly began, "About this assignment you gave the kids…"

"Molly, as I've said before, it's more like an assessment."

"Fine, then, about this _assessment_,"

"Yes, Molly?"

"Well, what exactly is it?" She demanded to know. "This household has been turned upside down because of it."

"Now, Molly, are you sure that is because of my assessment?" Albus asked merrily. "That sounds more like the effects of one of the twin's pranks."

"Don't go giving them any ideas," Molly hissed. "And yes it is because of your assignment. Ron has constantly asked Harry about his essay, which might not be that unusual," she admitted before Albus could interrupt, "But Ginny has also inquired about it. Harry, however, has refused to let them see his assignment. He even refuses to talk about it. Surprisingly though, neither one has asked Hermione for help."

Albus started to cough into his tea, "Well," he explained, "It was regarding defense and Harry did help them learn that subject, so perhaps that is why they went to him for help."

"Hmph," Molly grumbled, "And the twins? Did you give them the assignment as well? They are stopping by constantly, and not to eat or test their products but to ask Harry about his assignment."

"Well, I worry about it anymore," Albus explained. "The assignment was due in to me by today."

"At least that explains the last few days of peace and quiet," Molly stated. "No doubt, Ron, realizing that Harry wouldn't given in has spent the last few days working persistently on the assignment, sorry, assessment."

"Yes, well," Albus frowned, not used to hearing sarcasm from the mother of seven.

"Ron _did_ finish and turn in the assignment, didn't he?"

Albus nodded, "I remember removing two parchments from his owl."

"Good," Molly nodded and sighed in relief. "Maybe now things will return to normal around here.

**4-5 DT**

**AN: These are scenes from the previous chapter…**

_The moment Snape moved to storm out the trio quickly started to retreat back upstairs. After all, being caught by an angry Potions Master would not be a good thing, even in the summer. _

_"You've got it made," Ron remarked once they were safely back in Harry's room. "McGonagall vowed to be lenient with you!"_

_"That's not what she said," Hermione corrected._

_Ron snorted, "Close enough," he muttered. "I figure she'll feel so guilty that you could get away with almost anything, even after school starts._

_"And Snape!" Ron hissed. "Even during the summer he has it out for you, Harry. Not that that's really a shock. Still, you can't let him get away with it."_

_"I'm more interested in what Professor Dumbledore said," Ginny stated softly, eyes focused on Harry._

_"What?" Ron questioned, "Doubting his abilities as Headmaster?"_

_"No," Ginny said with a blush, "about Harry having a goodness and purity of heart about him."_

_"What!" Ron screeched, "Why would you care about that?"_

_All eyes turned to Ginny awaiting her answer. "I just find it interesting," she finally said._

_"You like him still, don't you?" Ron muttered in embarrassment, turning red like his sister._

_"Ron!" Hermione scolded, looking at an uncomfortable Harry. "That's not your business."_

_"It's my sister and my best friend!" he argued. "Of course it's my business."_

_"Guys, enough," Harry interrupted._

_"What we"_

_"Want to know," the twins began,_

_"Is exactly"_

_"What you"_

_"Wrote"_

_"And why," they finished._

_"Yeah," Ron seconded._

_"It was just the summer assignment from Dumbledore," Harry tried to explain._

_Ron scoffed, "I doubt any homework assignment could get that kind of a reaction. Especially not any assignment that I got," he added skeptically._

_"It's the same assignment," Harry promised his friend._

_The twins exchanged glances, "Why would the Headmaster assign homework?" one of them asked._

_Ron shrugged, "Just something for Defense. He probably just figured that Umbridge hadn't, you know," he continued with a smirk, "given her sudden departure and all."_

_Once more Fred and George exchanged looks. Hardly any of the Defense Against the Dark Arts Professors had lasted till the end of the year, yet Dumbledore had never assigned homework before. As one, the twins looked to their sister, hoping she could supply more information._

_With a sigh, Ginny explained, "Professor Dumbledore asked all returning students-"_

_"And graduating ones," Hermione injected._

_Ginny rolled her eyes at the know-it-all's interruption and continued, "To write an essay about what they have learned from Defense Against the Dark Arts during their years at Hogwarts."_

_The twins eyed Harry, "Mate, what did you write?"_

_Harry shrugged uncomfortably, "Not much, just some things that I learned."_

_They nodded as if accepting that answer._

_Ron snorted, "How much could you learn with some of the idiots that they had to teach us?"_

_"Ron!"_

_"What? It's the truth, Hermione," he added defensively._

_"So, Harry,"_

_"Can we read"_

_"This essay"_

_"Of yours?"_

_"Er," Harry stuttered, pretty sure he didn't want the twins to read it, "I already turned it in."_

_"Obviously," the twins said with a roll of their eyes, "But don't you have notes, or a copy of it? Perhaps a rough draft we can peruse?"_

_"It's a summer assignment with no real work involved," Ron snickered, "Why would he even need notes or a draft? Hermione's probably the only one who would keep that stuff anyway."_

_Alarmed, Harry's eyes met Hermione's, silently asking if she did have a copy of his essay. Hermione briefly inclined her head before turning away._

_"Harry?" she called, "What did Professor Dumbledore mean when he said if you return to Hogwarts?"_

_"What?" Ron yelled in shock, "When did he say that?"_

_"As we were leaving to head back upstairs," Hermione explained. "We were too far away to hear what followed."_

_"Well, it's obvious, isn't it?" Ron informed his friends, "Snape is still trying to get Harry expelled, only this time, Dumbledore thinks he might succeed."_

_Hermione just looked at Ron before shaking her head, "Harry?" she asked._

_"That's not it," Harry finally answered, he barely had time to think about Dumbledore's offer of a transfer and he definitely didn't want to talk about it now. "It's…well, let's just say that it's about Voldemort and his attacks."_

_"Oh, so Dumbledore is going to have you pulled from school to train you or something like that?" Ron supplied._

_"Er…something like that," Harry readily agreed with a nod of his head._

_Hermione, Fred and George just eyed The-Boy-Who-Lived suspiciously. For some reason, they didn't believe that was the complete truth._

_"Oh, Merlin!" Ron suddenly cried in horror._

_"What?" they all asked simultaneously as they turned to him._

_"Grades!" he moaned. "We're being graded on this assignment! By Snape!"_

_Hermione huffed as the others just laughed._

_"I'm serious!" Ron yelled. "I just turned in a listing of some of the spells we learned. Mum's going to kill me if I get a 'T'."_

4-5 DT

"Come in," Harry reluctantly replied to the knock on his door. "Oh, good, it's you," he continued when Hermione entered.

"Why are you so glad it's me?" she asked curiously.

"Because I know you won't ask about my essay, I'm sick of everyone asking. It doesn't seem to matter than all the essays have been turned in or that the professors have already started to read them, Ron still asks at least once a day about my essay."

"No, I won't ask about your essay," Hermione replied.

"Uh-oh," Harry said, sitting up, "I know that tone. So, what will you ask me about?"

"Just about you not returning to Hogwarts," she answered. "And don't lie and tell me that you're being removed to be trained."

"I wouldn't lie to you," Harry said, "Mainly because you seem to know when I do."

"Hmmm," Hermione responded. "Well?" she prodded when Harry remained silent.

Harry sighed, "After Dumbledore read my essay, he and Remus came to visit me at Privet Drive. Basically he apologized that I felt so badly about my years at Hogwart's. After telling him that I didn't, and that it was better than the Dursley's, he said that he failed to protect me, both at home and school. He then said that I deserved better and offered to transfer me to another school if I wanted."

"Do you?"

Harry shrugged, "No, not really. I mean, how do I know that any other school will be safer? Plus at Hogwart's I have some advantages."

"The map," Hermione commented dryly.

Harry nodded, "Yeah, but not just that, but after five years, I know that most of the regular staff aren't out to get me."

"Most?" Hermione commented dryly.

Harry shrugged, "Still not sure about Snape."

"Harry," Hermione began, only to be cut off by Harry.

"I'm not saying that he wants to kill me," Harry offered as an explanation, "apparently only the Defense Professors feel that way," he tried to joke, "but you have to admit that he does want me expelled," he finished, looking at Hermione who had no comment to his last remark.

"Anyway, at a new school, there wouldn't be anyone I could trust, student _or_ staff. At Hogwart's, while some students and staff might be treated with suspicion, there are some that I know aren't out to get me."

"I noticed you didn't say anything about _trusting_ people at Hogwart's."

Harry shrugged again, "So I have a hard time trusting, that's not surprising given my experience," Harry commented. "And I do have some people I trust at Hogwart's," he stated, continuing before Hermione could ask, "You, and the other student's who followed me to the ministry, Dumbledore."

"And the other professors?"

"To a point," Harry commented.

"I see," Hermione stated. "So, does that mean you're going to stay at Hogwarts?"

"Of course, even as tough as it has been, it's still home, and way better than the Dursley's."

**4-5 DT**

"Harry, mate," Ron whined, "I still don't understand why you won't let us read about your essay."

"It was just a summer assignment," Harry remarked, trying to sound casual. He was pretty sure that he had had this conversation with Ron and Ginny everyday since they overheard the professors' conversation. "I don't see what the big deal is."

"If it's not a big deal, then you should let us read it," Ginny stated. "Maybe we, well, _**I**_," she said looking dismissively at Ron, "could figure out what the 'big deal' is."

"I'm your best mate," Ron remarked, giving Ginny a scathing look. "Whatever you did to get that reaction from everyone, I want to know. As your best mate, I should know, so I could, er, support you."

"You just want to find out if you could've done something similar," Ginny accused.

"Well, yeah," Ron admitted. "You heard McGonagall, she's going to _trust_ Harry. The son of a Marauder, godson of another. Think of the ways that could benefit us."

"Harry wouldn't take advantage of the situation _or_ Professor McGonagall like that," Hermione remarked.

"Yeah, well, he's not the brightest candle is he?" Ron muttered.

"Hey!" Harry protested as Hermione and Ginny glared at Ron, the former muttering about pots and kettles.

Ron shrugged, "Sorry, but I call them as I see them. You'll be a fool _not _to," he continued, looking at his best mate, "So, will you just show me your essay?" he pleaded.

"Ron," Hermione started, "You already turned in the assignment, remember? It was due over a week ago."

"Well, yeah," Ron admitted, "But as I said, that was just a listing of the spells we learned. I figure I can do a _real_ essay and say that I was working on it and didn't have it finished in time and I didn't want to not turn anything in, so I gave the list."

"Uh-huh," Ginny said with a snort, "Like that would work. The professors know you better than that."

"It doesn't matter anyway," Harry said quickly before Ron could reply. "I already told you that I didn't keep any copies and I'm not about to ask Snape for it back."

"Ask Dumbledore," Ron suggested. "He'll get it back for you."

"And tell him what? That my best mate wants to read it so he can find out how to get McGonagall to go easy on him?"

"It's not just McGonagall, mate" Ron protested. "The headmaster, Moony, Tonks, all of them talk to you now. _Really_ talk," he emphasized. "Dumbledore even let you into the order. And apparently he listens to you, since you even got the twins into the order, against mum's protest. Bloody hell, _Moody_ treats you with respect."

"Yeah, well," Harry muttered, not really wanting to talk about his essay. When he wrote it, he had no idea the situations it would bring about.

"Look, I'm sick of talking about this. I just want to forget all about the essay and the assignment. I don't want to talk about it any more. And for the last time, I _don't_ have a copy of the essay and I'm _not_ going to ask any of the professors for it. If you want to read it so badly, _you_ can ask Snape for it."

"It doesn't matter," Hermione interrupted, trying to keep the boys from fighting. "Harry's essay wouldn't work for you anyway."

"How would you know?" Ron snapped, mad that once again she took Harry's side.

"I…I just do," Hermione answered after a quick glance towards Harry.

"You read it," Ginny whispered.

"What!" Ron shouted, looking between his sister and Hermione.

"You let her read it and not us," Ginny said accusingly, nearly in tears. "I thought…" she continued before letting her voice trail off as she stared at Harry.

Ron turned and glared at Harry "So you _do_ have a copy of your essay, you just don't want us to read it."

"Honestly, Ron," Hermione snapped, "I read it at the beginning of the summer holidays, _before_ he turned it in and _before _we got here."

"So, he doesn't have a copy?"

"No, I don't," Harry answered, annoyed that Ron still didn't believe him.

"No, _he_ doesn't" Hermione responded the same time as Harry.

"Okay, okay, I believe you," Ron said, "But you could tell us about the essay. If you don't remember it, I'm sure Hermione does."

"Ron, enough, I just finished telling you that I was sick of talking about it," Harry angrily announced. "You don't need to know about it."

"But I'm your best mate!" Ron angrily shouted.

"Well, you're not acting much like a best mate," Harry snapped, "If you won't even stop asking me about a stupid essay!"

"Hermione already knows!" Ron repeated, not even listening to what Harry shouted, "You shouldn't exclude me like this."

"Hermione knows a lot of things you don't," Harry angrily replied, "Especially when it involves _homework_ like this does. Now leave me be!" he finished before storming out the door, and seeing the twins standing out in the hall trying to look innocent, stuffing extendable ears into their pockets.

Harry snorted, "You probably could've heard that without those."

"True, true," They commented in unison, "At least Ron's portion of the conversation. And that last bit of yours," they added. "Hermione's and Ginny's not as much," they concluded as Harry walked into the library and shut the door behind him.

"And that was the part that was most informative," Fred commented to George once they were alone.

**4-5 DT**

"Albus?"

"Yes, Molly, my dear?"

"What was the homework assignment you gave Ronald and his friends? And don't you dare start with that assessment business."

"Very well," Albus said as he looked at the mother of seven over the rim of his glasses, "I asked all returning students to tell me what they have learned from Defense Against the Dark Arts during their years at Hogwarts."

Molly frowned, and softly asked, "Why would that have the kids at each other's throats and so curious about Harry's essay?"

"Molly?"

"Sorry, Albus, I was just thinking out loud. I mentioned before how my kids have been bothering Harry about this assignment. Even with the assignment already turned in, they still haven't left it alone. Harry has refused to talk about it, in fact, the moment one of them mentions it, Harry leaves the room. The kids seem to constantly be fighting. The only time things have been peaceful is when Ron gets so mad at Harry or Hermione that he refuses to talk to them."

"Oh, dear, Molly, I do apologize. When I issued that assignment, I only wanted to know what the children needed in a defense professor, I didn't mean to cause trouble."

Molly frowned, "What could Harry have written that would make my children so obsessive about this assignment?"

Albus paused a moment before speaking, "That is something you will have to discuss with Harry," he stated before pausing another moment, "However, from what you just shared, it appears that he does not wish to discuss it."

**4-5 DT**

"Harry?" Hermione asked, entering the room he shared with Ron.

"Yeah?" he replied, not turning to face the door.

"It'll be all right," she said, sitting down beside him.

"Will it?" He asked, sitting up to look at her. "I write an essay for a summer assignment that has almost every adult I know in tears or angry. My best mate won't leave me alone about that assignment, angry at both of us because I let you read it, but won't share it with him. He's also angry that most of the adults we come into contact with are treating me as an adult and not as a kid and I can't even begin to explain how he feels because I'm in the order and you guys aren't."

"Oh, Harry," Hermione sympathized. "You didn't do anything wrong. Just give Ron a few days-"

"I know, I know," Harry mumbled, "But can't I have just one normal year? One normal summer? There's always something, hiding from acceptance letters; a house-elf stealing mail; an escaped prisoner; dementors attacking; and now it's an essay that _I wrote_."

"I think that essay was rather brilliant," Hermione announced.

Harry snorted, "That wasn't your initial reaction,"

"Well, no" Hermione admitted with a blush. "And it took me many a readings to feel that way, but eventually I saw the truth of it. And I'm sure you felt better after writing it."

Harry shrugged, "In some ways, yes. In other ways, it was disturbing to see it all written out like that…and it happened to me, so I already knew about it."

"Then you can understand why everyone is reacting the way they are," Hermione offered.

"Yeah," Harry agreed, "But I wish it didn't change how they treated me. I'm still the same Harry."

"You are, but you're not," Hermione explained. "You are the same, but they are just seeing you clearer. They now know the strength you have, the-"

"If you say goodness and purity of heart," Harry began threateningly.

Hermione laughed, "No, I'll stay away from that."

"Good, I get enough of that from the twins and Ginny, when their not asking about the essay, that is," Harry added dryly. "Of course, you would think that since they want to read the essay so badly they would be nicer to me."

"Could be worse, you could be hearing it from Ron as well," Hermione commented with a snicker. "And we're talking about the twins here, if they were nice, you would _really_ be suspicious."

"True. And I'm not hearing much of anything from Ron, he's mad at us again, remember?"

"I know. Just enjoy the peace and quiet while you can," Hermione said with a grin, "Soon he'll be back hounding you for your essay."

Harry groaned and gave a small frown, "_Should_ I let him read it?"

"That's your decision, it's your essay."

"I'm afraid if I don't he'll stay mad at me, and I'm afraid if I do, he'll also change how he treats me."

Hermione shrugged, "On the plus side, as far as he knows, the only copy is in the hands of the professors, so in order to read it, he'll have to get it from them. And if he stays mad at us simply because we won't tell him about it, well, after everything we've been through…" she stopped and shrugged her shoulders.

"Yeah, I know…but still, he was my first friend our age."

The two fell silent, thinking about what might happen the rest of the summer, never noticing the flesh-colored strings that were pulled back under the doorway, nor hearing the conversation that took place as two people walked away from the closed door.

"It sounds to me like there _is_ another copy of that essay somewhere."

"And to me like Hermione has it."

"Don't know why she kept it,"

"Or where it might be,"

"But most likely it is here in this house,"

"Just waiting for us to read it,"

"We just have to find it."

"And to think we almost didn't listen to that conversation."

"I'm just glad I talked you into it."

"You mean that I talked you into it."

"No, I meant what I said, I talked you into it."

"Please, you probably thought she was going to put the moves on Ron again."

"That's what you thought, remember? Speaking of which, you still owe me that galleon."

"Oh bugger, if I didn't open my mouth, you wouldn't have remembered, would you?"

"Nope. And thanks, for the reminder and the galleon."

**4-5 DT**

"Okay, Albus, against my better judgment I supported you. Now tell me why you wanted Harry in the order?"

"Molly, my dear, as I told you and everyone else, Harry is Voldemort's number one target. The easiest way to keep Harry, and his friends safe, is to keep them informed. The best way to do that is to involve Harry in the order."

"Don't give me that," Molly scolded, waving her spoon at the older wizard. "You can share information with him _without_ letting him in the order. Now tell me what made you change your mind about Harry?"

"I'm afraid I can't," Albus sorrowfully admitted. "Harry apparently doesn't want anyone else to know."

Molly met his eyes, "Did you promise him you wouldn't tell me?"

"No."

"Well, then, you can," she insisted.

"No, I can't. I've wronged that child, young man, enough. I won't go against what I believe he wants.

"I only wish I realized sooner that he didn't want the information shared," Albus said with a sigh. "I was so hoping it would help their relationship."

Molly's eyes narrowed, "What relationship? Who else has this information?

"Albus?" She repeated when he remained silent and avoided his eyes.

"Severus," he admitted. "I also shared it with Minerva and Remus. However, Alastor and Nymphadora are also aware of it."

"Hmph," she hummed in thought before hissing, "The essay! I should've known your blasted assignment was behind all this. Now tell me again what this assignment that you gave Harry was."

"Nothing special," Albus replied as he stood up. "I simply asked of him the same thing I asked of everyone else. Simply what they learned from Defense Against the Dark Arts during their years at Hogwarts. Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to return to the castle."

"Hmph," Molly huffed as she stared at his retreating back.

**4-5 DT**

"Studying for NEWTS already?" Fred asked Hermione and Harry as he entered the library where the two of them sat, books, quills and parchment surrounding them.

"No, not at this moment, at least," Hermione replied, still reading the parchment she was holding, "I'm proof-reading Harry's summer homework."

"Ah," Fred said, realizing a possible reason why Hermione had a copy of Harry's essay. "Do you usually do that?"

Hermione shrugged, "Usually not summer assignments since his homework isn't finished until right before classes start."

"Hermione!" Harry protested, "I'm not that bad."

Hermione just turned to him in silent inquiry.

"Not _that_ bad," he repeated. "It's done before we board the express."

"That's not much better," Hermione commented.

Harry shrugged, "It wasn't wise to do it before I left the Dursley's. Either I didn't have access to my books, or they would destroy it if they found it, or they would read it," Harry explained with a pointed look at Hermione. "Anyway, it's Ron that is finishing it on the way to class."

"Hmph," Hermione grumbled, "At least this year you didn't have to wait. Regular assignments are now finished and the essay for Professor Dumbledore was finished and turned in almost a month before it was due."

**4-5 DT**

"Are you sure we should be doing this?" a voice asked outside the bedroom the two teenaged girls were sharing at Grimmauld Place.

"No," came the quick and honest reply, "But when has that ever stopped us before?"

"True, so true. In fact, that usually motivates us, does it not?"

"Hmm," his companion agreed quickly. "She's gone, right?"

"Mum? She's at the Burrow."

"Not mum, Hermione."

"She's gone, they're all gone. Hermione had an idea of a memorial for Sirius. Lupin and Tonks escorted Harry and Hermione and Ron went for emotional support."

"_Hermione_ went for emotional support, Ron doesn't know what that is," he corrected, snickered, adding, "He just didn't want to be excluded again."

"True, brother of mine, so true."

"And Ginny?"

"You know Gin-Gin. Wherever Harry goes, our sister is sure to follow," he answered with a laugh.

"When you're right, you're right," he commented as they looked around her room.

"Her trunk?" Fred asked.

George nodded, "I doubt she would keep it out on her desk, especially since our younger siblings are so eager to read it."

"Plus there's the fact that she knows _Harry_ doesn't want anyone to read it."

"Which, naturally, makes us want to read it even more," George commented with a grin. "Are we sure she has a copy? She couldn't use magic to copy it during the summer, especially living in a muggle house."

"This is Hermione," Fred answered. "It's homework and involves Harry, of course she has a copy."

"Another truth" George nodded and grinned, "Besides, muggles have ways of copying papers. We learned about it in Muggle studies."

"Oh yeah, what was it called again? Mimeophone? Micrograph? Mimeograph, that's it!

"Lots of work for one copy, though," Fred commented a few minutes later, "awfully messy too. She probably just rewrote it."

"Either way, it should be in here," he said pointing to her trunk. "Think we should check the trunk for charms and spells before we open it?"

"That's a stupid question after seeing what she did to the Parchment for Dumbledore's Army last year."

**4-5 DT I**

Not abandoned…just a very long break. Really wanted to get this up in January, but didn't make it. As it is, I split this up into 2 parts. Part 2 should be up within the week. Again, I apologize for the wait.

Biggest problem was getting this to fit in with what happened in the previous chapter. Since this was originally intended as a one-shot, no plan or forethought was given. Had this chapter done ages ago, but then when I reread the fic, realized that this chapter didn't make sense when taking in connection with events from prev chapter, so I needed to rewrite it. Hope it fits now, please forgive me if it doesn't.

As always, thoughts & feedback is welcomed.


	8. Trouble Doubled Double Trouble II

DISCLAIMER: I solemnly swear that I do not own Harry Potter, Hogwarts, or any other characters, subjects, or places mentioned in this story.

Not beta'd...I apologize for errors and mistakes

* * *

**4 OUT OF 5  
****TROUBLE DOUBLED  
****aka Double Trouble Part II**

"Snape!" Ron exclaimed, turning towards his best friends, "Snape read your essay!"

"So?" Harry asked.

"So! Snape read your essay!"

"It's not like I had a choice about it, he had to, he was helping the headmaster grade them, remember?"

"Yeah, I know, but still," Ron said with a pause, "You don't seem that upset by it."

Harry shrugged, "It already happened, what can I do about it now?"

Ron just stared at him in shock, "That's all you're going to say?"

Harry just gave another shrug, not knowing what else he could say about that subject.

"So you are perfectly fine with letting The Greasy Git of the Dungeons read your essay, something you state is so _personal_ you won't share it with your best mate?" Ron screeched.

"In this case, yes," Harry hissed. "I might not be able to control who Dumbledore allows to read it, but I _can_ choose who _I_ let read it."

"And you choose not to let me or Ginny read it."

Harry shrugged, "Yeah, I guess I do."

"Thanks, thanks a lot," he said before storming out of the room

* * *

"Wow."

"You can say that again."

"Wow," he repeated, complying with his brother's command, before they both fell silent thinking about what they had just read.

"Brother," Fred said a moment later, his voice more serious than George has ever heard, "I have to confess that I…well, I'm not completely proud about what we did."

"I understand," George nodded in agreement. "Definitely wasn't what I thought it would be."

"I know. I expected…" Fred frowned and paused, "Not sure exactly what I expected, but it definitely wasn't that."

"I expected something shocking, based on the reactions it had gotten, but this was so…_personal_."

"Exactly, which is why I feel like I do."

"At least now we know why Harry was so adamant about not wanting to share it."

"And why Hermione keeps sneaking off to talk to Harry."

"Can't blame her, there. I mean, I _knew_ about some of that stuff, I just didn't _know_ it, ya know?"

"And that was only the rough draft," Fred snorted.

"Definitely rough on some people and probably rougher for others to read," he said with a chuckle before the two fell into silence for a few more moments.

"I…wow."

George snickered as his brother repeated his words from earlier.

"The question is, what are we going to do about it?"

Geroge snorted, "What can we do? Anything we do will inform Harry that we read his essay."

"And no doubt he'll want to know why…and how."

"Which would reveal that we broke into Hermione's trunk and copied a copy of his essay."

Fred and George both shuddered. "I honestly don't know which would be worse, Harry or Hermione mad at us."

"Again, I ask, what do we do?

"Well, we can't do nothing."

"True, Hermione and Harry will get suspicious if we stop asking about the essay,"

"Or even if we stop coming around."

"So, what do we do?"

The two once more fell into silence as they thought about how to proceed.

"Well, the essay was a bit different, so I say that _we_ do things a bit different."

George frowned in confusion at his twin's words.

"We let them know that we know about the essay without letting them know that we know about _Harry's_ essay."

"I…what?" George frowned.

Fred sighed, "Well, we now know what Dumbledore assigned, right? And we know the basics of what Harry's years at Hogwart's included, right? We just mention things in such a way that they seem coincidental."

"Ah…Brilliant," George said with s grin. "And if we accidentally knew something that we shouldn't have, well, since Ron knows about it, they would probably think that we learned it from him."

"Brother, we are geniuses," Fred said, toasting an imaginary glass into the air.

"I couldn't agree more," George said, adding a verbal "Clink," as he imitated his brother, causing the two to laugh for a few moments.

"But on the off chance they"

"Hermione," his brother corrected.

"Figure it out…"

"Well, the good news is that right now neither one can use magic outside of school."

"So we just avoid them during the school year and hope that at Christmas when Hermione is 17 and next summer when Harry turns 17 that they either forget or forgive?"

Fred nodded, "Sounds like a plan to me."

George frowned, "I do have one more question…did you really think it was necessary for us to make another copy to take with us instead of just taking one of the many copies Hermione already made? And why did she have that many copies anyway?"

Fred frowned, "I refuse to answer that since it was _two_ questions and you pointedly stated that you only had one."

"Fair enough," George replied, with a nod of his head "Since I didn't really expect you to know the answer anyway."

* * *

"Albus," Molly addressed the older wizard, "I would like to ask a favor from you,"

"Anything I can do for you, Molly, I will," Albus stated cheerfully, "Unless, of course, it is in connection with next year's selection of Head Boy."

"Oh, no," Molly denied, "It is nothing like that, though it would be wonderful to have another Head Boy in the family."

"Molly,"

"I apologize," Molly replied softly to the headmaster's warning tone. "It really does have nothing to do with that."

"Wonderful then," Albus declared, "So what is this favor?"

"I would like for you to arrange for me to read Harry's assignment."

Albus stared at her in surprise, "Molly," he began uncomfortably,

"The summer assignment," Molly interrupted, "I don't want to have any effect on the grading of this assignment," she continued, "But this household has been turned upside down because of it! The boys are barely talking, Harry's often upset with my four youngest, Hermione doesn't seem that pleased with them either, and the twins are spending more time here than at their shop!

"And that doesn't even cover how the adults are acting!" she exclaimed. "Harry is like a son to me, I would like to see that assignment of his."

"Molly, I can't," Albus finally responded.

"Of course you can," Molly corrected, "You're the Headmaster. If you currently don't have the assignment, you can retrieve it from Professor Snape. Either way, if an assignment is that shocking to those who have read it, you owe it to the student to make sure that someone, especially a parent or anyone else who is in a position to help reads it so that they can act accordingly. As I said, Harry is like a son to me; I am the only adult who currently has consistent and constant access to him, it is in everybody's best interest that I read that essay."

"I understand how you would feel that way," Albus replied, "But again, I cannot let you read his essay. As much as you care for him, you are not his parent or guardian-"

"You can't honestly expect _Petunia_," she spat, "To want to read it, let alone, for her to be concerned about Harry."

Albus frowned, "While Petunia has not cared as much for Harry as I would've liked, she did express her concern regarding Harry's schooling and his essay, when we talked."

"You let her read it!" Molly screeched, "Why did you let her read it? Especially when you won't let me!"

Albus frowned, "It wasn't I who gave her access to the essay."

Molly frowned as she thought about what the headmaster had just stated, "Harry, oh, the poor dear boy," she cried. "He was reaching out for help, yet all he found was _her_. Albus, now I really must insist that I read that essay."

Albus already began shaking his head, "Again, I cannot let you do that. Yes, perhaps the essay Harry wrote is having more of an impact than I thought when I assigned it and that Harry thought when he wrote it, but regardless, it is still _Harry's_ essay. You informed me that the children are barely talking because of it; because your children want to read it and because Harry does not want them to. That leads me to believe that Harry doesn't want _anyone_ else to read his essay. I have already failed that boy in many ways," Albus sadly admitted, "I refuse to add this to the list. If you want to read his essay, you will have to ask Harry and get it from him."

"Albus-"

"No, Molly," Albus interrupted, standing up and preparing to leave, "That is my final answer. I will not help to make something happen that Harry does not want to happen."

* * *

"So, we finally learned what this 'assessment' from Dumbledore was about."

Ginny snorted, "If you had stayed at Hogwart's and taken you're NEWTS, you would've learned that a lot sooner."

"At more risk to our health,"

"And lives," George added with a grin. "We probably would've had four staff members trying to kill us, not just Umbridge."

"Four?" Ron repeated skeptically, "Like four professors would really try to kill a student."

"You're right," Fred said before adding with a grin, "Maybe five."

Ron snorted is disbelief, "Who?" he demanded to know.

"Umbridge, of course."

"And Filch."

"Mustn't forget dear old Snape," George noted.

Ginny snickered, "That's only three."

"And Filch wasn't a professor!" Ron added gleefully.

The twins exchanged glances, "First, little brother, we said _staff members_, not professors, and second, little sister, we aren't done yet."

"Binns?" They offered, pausing to think for a bit.

Harry snorted, "He's not much of a threat, can't even remember anyone's name, much less hold a weapon to kill someone."

"True," The twins nodded in agreement, before continuing, "McGonagle loves us," Fred said, "So it wouldn't be her."

"True," George agreed solemnly. "Maybe it's only three out of those five then."

"Surely there's someone else," Fred spoke.

"Well," George hesitated a bit, looking at Harry, "Hagrid does try to feed us rock cakes every time we visited him."

"Hey! He does that to us too!" Ron exclaimed in alarm. "Do you really think he's trying to kill us?"

Fred and George laughed as Harry glared at his best mate and both Hermione and Ginny launched pillows in his direction.

"Oh my," George exclaimed in alarm.

"What?" Fred asked.

"McGonagle," George said softly. "She only loved us as long as we helped to win the Quidditch Cup for her office. With our ban last year, we weren't really much help."

"Oh merlin, you're right," Fred groaned. "Guess it _is_ four out of those five after all."

"Knew we should've made a bet with Ron about that," George sighed sadly. "All those galleons, lost."

"Yeah, yeah," Ron grumbled, "Now why did you two come in here again?"

"To brag that they finally learned something," Gin answered sweetly. "You know, the assignment we were given over a month ago. The one that we _did_ and turned in _weeks_ ago."

Fred and George rolled their eyes, "Just be thankful that we weren't asked to do it."

"Why?"

"Isn't it obvious?" twin one asked.

"The last few years our Defense Professors have been worse than usual,"

"Except Lupin," one of the twins injected.

His brother continued, "There's always has to be an exception, after all, what kind of world would it be if everything was black and white. Always this and never that.

"Anyway, my point is that you guys haven't learned much about defense _in_ defense."

"We have two more years of schooling on you, and those professors weren't as…what's the word I'm looking for?"

His twin shrugged, "Bad? Evil? Cursed? Cute?"

"Cute?"

His twin shrugged again, "Not the one I would've chose, but to each his own."

"I meant, why would you offer that as an option?"

"Hey, I was running out of adjectives. Obviously I don't work well under pressure."

With a sigh and a shake of his head, his brother continued, "Fine, we'll go with bad, no evil, no cursed...ahh, better yet, _dangerous_. Hmm, I guess all of them apply, either way, _our_ first defense professor at least tried to teach us."

"Hey, ours tried," Ron objected.

Fred just looked at him, "Quirrell only stuttered, by the time he got the spell out, the class was over, there wasn't time to actually perform any spells. Our second defense professor taught us defense related techniques. Lockhart only taught us about himself or grooming. As already mentioned, Lupin was the exception; Moody was paranoid, and spent more time on Unforgiveables, spells which are illegal for _anyone_ to use, let alone underage wizards; and Umbridge, well, you get the idea," he finished with a shrug.

"Your point?" Ginny sighed.

"Just that our essays would probably be better and longer than yours."

Hermione frowned, "I don't think Professor Dumbledore cared about the length, after all, he didn't assign one or restrict it in anyway."

The twins shrugged, "Ours still would've been better."

"Oh yeah?" Ron retorted, "what would your better essay have said?"

"Glad you asked, brother of mine, glad you asked," George said as he and his twin sat down and got comfortable.

"Thanks Ron," Ginny snapped with a resigned sigh.

"First, we would have begun with how important the subject of defense is, especially due to recent events. We then would've talked about how each professor takes a different approach to the subject, as well as highlighting different aspects of it. For example, Lupin tended to focus more on dark creatures, while Moody focused on dark spells and curses. Then there is the fact that each of the professors had a different approach to the class. Some were more hands on, while others"

"A-Hem, Umbridge, A-hem," George supplied.

"Focused on theory. Regardless of how or what they taught, there was always something to learn from them," Fred continued.

"And of course," George stated, "We wouldn't forget to mention…"

Ron sat for half an hour listening as his brothers explained how they would've approached the assignment before finally commenting, "Bloody hell! I should've gone to you guys for help."

The twins just laughed in reply before waving and leaving the room.

* * *

"Good morning, Harry," Ginny said as he entered the kitchen for breakfast.

"Hey, Gin," he responded, looking around, "Where's Hermione?"

Ginny glared at him a moment, "Reading," she responded, before asking, "Where's Ron?"

Harry snorted, "Still sleeping," he replied as he sat down.

"Figured as much," Ginny said as she poured them both a glass of pumpkin juice. "So what do you have planned for today?"

Harry shrugged, "Not sure, perhaps play chess with Ron if today is a day that he talks to me. Not much to do here other than that, homework or reading."

"Maybe we can go sit outside and talk for a bit," she suggested.

"Maybe," Harry said, non-commitedly. "Um, what would you want to talk about?"

"Anything you want," she replied with a shrug. "School, family, favorite classes, Quidditch, favorite professors, hobbies, summer homework assignments, plans for the DA."

Harry sighed, "Ginny, I'm always willing to talk about Quidditch or flying, which I have to say is probably my only hobby. I'd rather not talk about the Dursley's or Sirius, so that leaves out family. School is not in session right now, so there's not much to talk about on that subject. Favorite class would be Defense my third year when it was taught by Moony, who was my favorite professor, any other year, my favorite class is Charms. I have no plans for the DA, I never had plans for the DA, as you know, it wasn't even my idea to start it. And finally, in case you haven't figured it out yet, I _really_ don't want to talk about the homework assignment the headmaster gave us."

"Well then, we can just get to know each other better," Ginny commented with a suggestive smile after the shock of Harry's reply had passed. "It's not often I get to talk to you without another member of the Golden Trio around."

"Golden trio?" Harry repeated, "You know that you're referring to your brother and your best friend, don't you?"

"Yes," Ginny said.

"Okay," Harry said with a dismissive shrug, "Just seems like a strange thing for you to call them."

Ginny just shrugged in return, "So, do you want to talk or get to know each other better?"

"Sure, why not?" Harry said, "But I doubt they'll let us go outside."

"Well, then, maybe we can find someplace here to talk privately."

Harry frowned, "Why would we need to talk privately? The only other people who are here are Hermione, your mum, and your brother."

"You never know who might show up," Ginny replied, "This _is_ Headquarters. Plus, we might want to talk about things without others overhearing or interfering."

Again, Harry frowned, "First, I doubt members of the order would be interested in our conversation, and second, well, Ron and Hermione pretty much know everything that I would talk about anyway."

"Hermione, maybe," Ginny commented angrily, "But not Ron."

"Huh?" Harry stated in confusion, "I share everything with them."

"Not _everything_," Ginny snapped, "And you definitely don't share it with me."

"Er, no," Harry said, "I'm allowed to have my privacy and secrets."

"You share things with Hermione," she replied sweetly.

"Well, yeah," Harry said, puzzled by her mood change, "But she's my best friend."

"I thought my brother was your best friend?"

"He is, but so is Hermione. He's my best mate, she's my best girl friend," Harry said with quietly, "You can never have too many friends or best friends."

"Well, maybe _**I**_ want to be your girlfriend."

"You are one of my girl friends," Harry replied honestly. "After coming to the ministry with me, how could you think that I wouldn't consider you a friend?"

Ginny sighed before deciding that now wasn't the time to explain the difference between a girl friend and his girlfriend. "If I'm a friend, why won't you share your essay with me then?"

This time, Harry stood as he sighed, "Ginny, it's personal."

"It's a summer assignment, how personal could it be?" Ginny disagreed. "Besides, friends share personal information, that's what makes them _friends_."

"They don't share everything."

"Something this big they should."

"Even bigger things have been kept a secret," Harry replied with a snort as he thought about the prophecy that he still hadn't shared with anyone.

"All the more reason to share this one," Ginny retorted, "After all, you wouldn't want your friends to be left out of the loop too much, right? I mean, I know how much you hated that when others did it to you."

"When they did it to me," Harry began as he leaned over the table and looked her in the eyes, "it was about _me_, about my life. This assignment was also about _my life_. If I decide not to share it with anyone that is my prerogative."

"You shared it with Hermione," he was reminded.

"Fine," Harry said calmly, causing Ginny to smile in triumph and lean back victoriously in her chair, believing that he was finally going to share his essay with her, "If I choose not to share it with anyone _else_ that is my prerogative."

As Ginny stared at him in disbelief, her temper temporarily leaving her speechless, Harry took advantage of the moment by quickly leaving the room.

* * *

"Harry? What has you so upset?"

Harry sighed in relief when he noticed his best girl friend standing in the doorway, "This stupid essay and the people who won't leave me alone about it," he replied, continuing to slam his books in his trunk.

"Ron?"

"Ginny."

"Ginny?" Hermione repeated in shock, "That is surprising. I thought…"

"What?

"What?" he repeated when Hermione remained silent.

Hermione shrugged, "I'm just surprised she risked angering you. I know that she was hoping to get closer to you this summer."

Harry snorted, "Closer? We're trapped in a house together. How much closer did she want to get?"

Hermione snorted as she replied, "She wants to be your girlfriend."

Harry frowned at her in bewilderment, "I already told her she was a girl friend," he replied, "Of course, that was before she wouldn't leave me alone about the essay. Merlin! I know that they are curious about it, but can't they just respect my privacy and accept no as my answer?"

Hermione sighed as she laid a hand on Harry's arm, "Not _a_ girl _friend_," she said quietly, "but _your girlfriend."_

"Oh…_oh_!" he replied as Hermione's words truly registered. "But why? I mean…"

Hermione chuckled again, "She likes you, has forever,"

"Yeah, since before she even met me," Harry replied cynically.

"True," Hermione admitted, "But do you think that if you were like Malfoy she would still like you? She likes you even more since she met you. The boy who risked expulsion to keep a friend from getting in trouble; the boy who risked his life to save hers; the boy who kept his parent's friends from getting revenge and committing murder; the boy who played fair, even if it put him at a disadvantage; the boy-"

"I get it," Harry interrupted harshly, "You don't need to give me a recap of _my_ life story, I lived it, remember?"

"Harry,"

"Sorry," Harry replied in response to her warning tone. "I know you're only trying to help, but…well, part of me doesn't trust it, er, her feelings," he replied. "I mean, I really don't see her as anything more than Ron's little sister, a pseudo-sister of my own to tell you the truth. And even if I did," Harry calmly admitted, "After this summer, I would seriously rethink that. I mean, what kind of life or relationship would we have if every time I gave an answer she didn't like, she wouldn't give up until I change my mind? I've told her a million times that I don't want to share my essay with anyone else, but she won't stop, she acts like it's her right to know. Merlin, she'd be even worse if she _was_ my girlfriend."

Hermione looked away, eyes watering slightly, "Well, you're the only one who can decide how you feel about her. As for her and Ron's obsession with the essay…" she paused, "Well, normally, I would try to help you, but since I read it, I don't think she'll respond well to me."

"No, probably not," Harry admitted with a chuckle, "and especially not right now, since I just walked out of the kitchen on her."

"Harry!" Hermione scolded before she too started laughing.

* * *

"Hey, Harry, Hermione, siblings," Fred greeted everyone as he entered the room.

"What are you guys doing here?" Ginny asked, "Shouldn't you be working on your shop?"

"We are," George answered. "We just came by to ask you guys about our newest Wheezes."

"We aren't going to test them for you," Ron stated.

"We wouldn't ask such a thing of you," Fred replied.

Harry snorted, "You don't _ask_, that's the problem. You just sneak them into our food or drink."

"Why, Harry, we would never do such a thing to people who mean so much to us."

"Yeah, right," Ginny snorted.

"Then what about them?" Ron skeptically asked.

"We just wanted your opinion on them. We weren't sure how well they would sell. _We_ might find them funny, but other's might not."

"After all, there's not much we don't find funny," George admitted.

"Okay, what do you have in mind?" Ginny asked.

"Well, first, we have two-faced taffy."

"Same line as our two-tongue taffy," George injected.

Fred nodded, "Right. It does exactly what it says. You eat it and a second face pops up in the back of your head."

"Or on your forehead," George added. "We're having difficulty having it appear on the forehead, since the area is so small, most of the time it just looks like a mole or pimple, especially from far away."

Ron snickered as he imagined someone breaking out with faces on their forehead.

Fred smiled, "We are trying to get the face to talk as well. Imagine growing a second face and then having that face not just smiling brightly, but commenting on everything around you."

George hummed, "We created two types of two-faced taffies, one that made comments about how jealous he was, you know, commenting that you had all the good lines, as well as random comments about others, how they are more talented, better looking, things like that. That's our green-eyed taffy. The second one is our pearly smile taffy. That taffy basically smiles even brighter, with pearly white teeth showing and boasts about how much better he is than everyone else."

"Sounds like that second taffy might get you into a few duels if he doesn't keep his mouth shut," Ginny commented.

"That's part of the fun," Fred and George commented.

"It will be obvious that the second face is doing the talking, since the voice would be different and either way seeing a second face on someone would be hysterical, but the one on the back of the head would be easier to hide with a hat and where's the fun in that?"

"Another item we thought of was 'too hot to touch'. This is a cinnamon flavored candy. If you touch a person who has recently eaten this candy, well, as the name states, they're too hot to touch. Your skin will start to smolder and smoke where it touches them, it will feel hot, but no physical damage will take place."

"Harmless, really," George clarified, "We wouldn't want any potential repeat customers to burn up and disintegrate."

"Next on the list is Look-a-lick lollipop. It's a giant round lollipop, with different colored and flavored layers" Fred said, holding up the object. "One layer insults the next person you see after licking it."

"Nothing too bad," George added, "Just things you might hear from someone that is jealous."

Ron frowned, "You seem to have a lot of new wheezes that involve jealousy," he stated suspiciously.

Fred shrugged, "Once we got the potions and charms down for that emotion, it's easy to add it to any of our wheezes."

"Much easier and faster than trying to experiment and create a new combo for a different emotion. It took us months to get that one right."

"We are pretty close to success with a few others, though. Who knows, we might soon have two-faced taffy that spouts love poems to anyone who walks by."

"Oh," Ron said, appeased by his brothers' responses.

"Anyway, another layer of the lollipop changes their appearance."

"It doesn't actually _change_ them," George clarified, "Just creates a glamour around their face."

"Their mouth is changed into a smile worthy of Witch Weekly's Annual Smile award. The next layer changes their image completely, well, it keeps their facial features, but changes their hair and their robes into something a popinjay like Lockhart might wear. The last setting is one where it temporarily freezes whoever looks the licker in the eyes."

"We wanted to add another Layer, where the lollipop hypnotizes you and makes you temporarily forget the last few hours, but we are having difficulty making it temporary," George sheepishly admitted, "Again, we don't want to hurt our customer base, and having them end up in St. Mungo's long-term ward wouldn't be good for business."

"Then we have 'Animal Magnetism'. Similar to the Canary cream, except that the animal isn't predetermined. Basically, when it is activated on someone they transform into the animal that is most like their personality at that time."

"Of course," Fred inserted, "The number of animals available isn't unlimited. We have restricted it to only a few, you know, the usual, dog, wolf, rat, ferret, snake, lion, badger."

"We're trying to get a raven in there as well, to represent all the houses, but we don't want someone to be flying when the prank ends."

"Yeah," Gred said, "Falling fifty feet from the air isn't fun, is it Harry?"

"Not to mention, the lack of repeat customers," Ron injected.

The twins glanced at Ron for a moment before each other.

"The nex-"

"I think that's plenty for us to think about for now," Hermione interrupted harshly. "We'll let you know what we think of these."

"Oh, okay," Fred and George agreed, not wanting to push their luck, since Harry was just looking at them in horror and Hermione had a knowing look on her face, even as she glared at them. "Well, we'll just let you think about those then," they said before quickly leaving the room.

"How _do_ they come up with that stuff?" Ron asked in awe.

Harry and Hermione just looked at him, "Seriously?" Hermione asked.

"Yeah," Ron said, "I never knew they had such active imaginations. Two-faces, burning when someone touches you, looking like Lockhart, being frozen in place, temporarily forgetting stuff, changing into an animal," Ron summarized incredulously. "Well, okay," he said after a pause, "Some of those are familiar,"

"Ya think?" Harry angrily asked.

"Yeah," Ron repeated, "I mean, the last one is basically like the animagus transformation," he informed his friends, who just groaned at his cluelessness.

"Don't they remind you of anything else?" Hermione queried.

Ron paused as he thought about it, "Um, no, not really. Should it?"

Harry just shook his head as he stood up to leave, "I'll be right back, I think I left something downstairs," he said, quickly leaving.

* * *

"Harry?"

"Yeah?"

"Did you really leave something downstairs?" Hermione asked.

Harry shook his head, "No, I just had to leave."

"Understandable," Hermione commented. "You know those new pranks of theirs..." she began, falling silent since she wasn't sure how to finish that thought.

"Seem to be based on our first couple of years at Hogwarts?" Harry completed.

"Yes," Hermione nodded. "But how did they find out?"

"_I_ haven't told them anything."

"Neither have I," Hermione snapped.

"That would leave Ron," Harry said, looking down the hallway towards the room he just left.

"But if he had told his brothers about our adventures, wouldn't the pranks sound familiar to him?"

"Not if they obliviated him after," Harry replied. "They are old enough now to do that."

"I don't think they would do that, not after hearing about what happened to Lockhart from him."

"Lockhart," Harry muttered, "What if they used that layer from the lollipop they created? You know, the one that is supposed to _temporarily_ make someone forget? Maybe that's how they figured out that it wasn't temporary after all?"

"No, they wouldn't do that," Hermione said, sounding horrified at the thought. "Everything they ever tested on someone, other than themselves, they always had a way to reverse it. Mrs. Weasley would kill them if they didn't."

"Well, then, how do you explain how they know about what happened?"

Hermione shrugged as she thought about it. "Maybe," she said before pausing to think things out a bit more, "Maybe they used _another_ of their inventions," she finally said, "Perhaps they overheard us when we talked about it before."

"Extendable ears?" Harry pondered out loud, realizing what she meant. "But I can't remember the last time we talked about all of that."

Hermione shrugged, "It could be that they heard us ages ago, but just came up with the pranks that relate to them now? After all, it would probably take awhile to get the charms and potions working correctly."

"Maybe," Harry stated, "But why would they ask our opinion? They never have before?"

Hermione's eyes narrowed, "You're right. They must be up to something. I'm going to keep an eye on them when they're around, just in case."

Harry nodded, thinking to himself that he'll do the same thing.

"We'll figure it out," Hermione stated firmly, as if talking to herself. "And when we do, I'll also ask them about the charm and potion combinations they mentioned."

"What?" Harry asked in confusion.

"Oh, well," she blushed, "It's just that those combinations are incredibly challenging to perfect and to create one from scratch…well," she paused and shrugged her shoulders. "The most amazing thing is that they only got three OWLS."

Harry snickered before quickly darting away to avoid the slap Hermione directed his way.

* * *

"Harry, dear," Molly addressed as she entered the parlor and saw a worried Harry sitting in the corner. "You can't be done with Breakfast already. You entered the kitchen right before I left and that was less than ten minutes ago."

"Er no, not hungry," Harry stated quietly, "lost my appetite."

"This is the second time this week that you skipped breakfast," Molly said as she approached him and silently took his temperature. "Well, you're not sick. Come into the kitchen and I'm sure I can change your lack of appetite. Come on now," she instructed as she started to walk away, with a sigh, Harry followed.

"Mum," Ginny began as her mother entered the kitchen, only to stop and glare at Harry when he entered behind her.

"Yes, dear?"

"Oh, just wanted to tell you that it was delicious as always," Ginny said as she stood up and left the room, glaring at Harry the entire time.

"That is so sweet of her," Molly gushed, "It's nice to know one of my children appreciate my cooking," she continued before turning to the table and frowning. "Honestly, how would she know it was delicious, she barely ate anything. Oh, I hope she's not on one of those new crazy diets, eating only green things one day, or things that start with 'P' the next.

"Sit, sit, Harry," Molly stated as she directed Harry to the table. "I'll have your appetite back in no time."

"You really don't have to," Harry began.

"Oh, hush you. I want to," Molly said as she began bustling around the kitchen. "I was so happy when Albus told me you were coming here early.

"I wish you didn't have to go _there_ at all. I would've loved to have brought you back to the burrow straight from King's cross. Of course, it's not as secure as we would like," she paused for a moment, "And here…well, at the time no one knew what was going to happen to this old house. Luckily, Albus was able to determine that it was still safe and secure for you and Headquarters."

"Yeah," Harry said in agreement, after all, she had already told Harry all of this when he first arrived.

"Well, here you go," she said, placing a plate of warm food in front of Harry. "Go on, eat," she commanded playfully when Harry hesitated.

Harry smiled and nodded as he slowly picked up a fork. The taste and smell of the food soon brought his appetite back. "It's delicious," he said softly.

Molly smiled. "It's a shame Ginny rushed off so soon, then you would've had some company other than me while you ate."

Harry shrugged as he swallowed a mouthful of food. He didn't want Molly to know that Ginny probably didn't eat and left the kitchen _because_ he entered. "I don't mind, I like you. Um, I mean," Harry blushed and stammered as he realized how that might have sounded. "I mean, I like talking with you, er, not that I don't enjoy talking to Ginny or any of your kids. I do…Ginny, Ron, the twins, an-"

Molly laughed, "It's okay, Harry. And I enjoy talking with you as well."

Harry nodded, relieved that he didn't have to clarify his statements since he just seemed to make things worse.

"You know," Molly said softly, "that you_ can_ talk to me about anything, right? I mean, I know your" she scrunched her nose, "Aunt doesn't like the magical world and of course, she might not know that much about it, but if you have any questions or if you're curious about something, or have any problems or just need some help or advice, even if you just need someone to sit and listen as you get things out, well," she said with a deep breath and a smile, "I just wanted to let you know that I am here for you as I would be for any of my children. That goes for Arthur as well," she added.

"Er, thanks," Harry said with a puzzled frown.

"Oh, yes," Molly continued, "If you have any questions about homework, school, or disagreements with friends, sometimes it helps just talking to someone."

"Right," Harry nodded as he continued to eat with Molly sitting across from him.

"So," Molly said after a long pause, "Anything you want to talk about?"

"Er, no, well, not really."

"It could be anything at all," she coaxed gently. "And don't worry, I won't share what we talk about, if we talk, with anyone unless I have your permission or think you are in danger."

"Right," Harry said with a frown. Why did this sound like one of those muggle addiction interventions he heard about from Aunt Petunia's talk shows?

After a few moments of uncomfortable silence and Mrs. Weasley staring at him, Harry finally relented. "Well," he hesitantly began, "There is one thing I want to talk about, I guess."

"Yes dear?" Molly eagerly asked. "Is it about homework or school?"

"Um, well, it's about the future, more specifically, career choices," Harry said to Molly's disappointment.

"Oh, of course, what is it you want to know, dear?"

Taking a deep breath, Harry started to talk about how he felt that being an auror was expected of 'The-Boy-Who-Lived', how he didn't really know about possible career choices in the Wizarding World.

* * *

"So do you guys plan on taking Defense next year?" Fred asked the trio.

"Of course," Hermione automatically replied, "Why wouldn't we?"

Ron snorted and muttered, "Like mum would let me drop that class, she won't even let me drop divination."

Fred shrugged and looked at a silent Harry, "Just thought that Harry might think differently. After all, he doesn't have the best record with those professors. I mean, it seems like most of the professors you guys have had seemed to be out to get him," Fred said with a shake of his head. "Neither Defense class nor it's professors seemed as dangerous or useless before you guys arrived at Hogwarts.

"Plus there's the fact that last year he taught us better than any of them could. So he proved that he doesn't need to attend a structured class. He has already proven that he has the ability to learn the material on his own.

I just thought that you guys might've realized what a waste of time it was, almost as bad as History with Binns. We all know that the majority of teachers these last five years have been a joke, so naturally their class is as well. If you guys are lucky then this year"

"What? We'll have a good teacher?" Ron snapped.

Fred stared at his brother a moment before shrugging, "I was going to say that if you're lucky Defense would be a class that you could either nap in or do assignments for your other classes."

"Oh," Ron said sheepishly, "Well," he blustered, "Not _all_ the teachers have been a joke, we've had a few good ones and so we're probably due for another."

"Perhaps," Fred smiled, "Of course, the headmaster hasn't informed me or George if he'll take us up on our offer, and even if he doesn't well, if you learned something from a Death Eater, you could probably learn something from anyone, right?" he finished before leaving.

"Wait! What offer?" Ron called after his brother while Harry and Hermione exchanged telling glances.

* * *

"Wotcher, Harry, what's up?" Tonks asked as sat down beside him in the parlor.

"Er…nothing."

"Molly said you wanted to talk with me."

"Um, no, not that I know of," a confused Harry responded.

Tonks frowned, "Are you sure? She made it sound quite important."

"Um," Harry shrugged as he thought for a moment, "Sorry, I really can't think of any reason why she said that to you."

"Now, don't be shy," Tonks teased, "You can talk to me about anything.

"C'mon, out with it," she continued when Harry remained silent.

"There's really not anything."

"I disagree," Tonks informed him. "It has to be something that Molly either doesn't know enough about or wouldn't feel comfortable talking with you about. Hmm," Tonks teased, "Perhaps something about romance and the fairer sex?"

"No!" Harry protested. "Really, I've never talked about anything like that with Mrs. Weasley," Harry stated firmly. "Nor anyone else," he muttered under his breath.

"Well, I guess I'll just have to ask Molly next time I see her what was so important. She knows I don't have that much free time since the ministry has all the aurors working double shifts."

"Oh!" Harry exclaimed, blushing. "That's what I wanted to talk to you about."

"Yes?"

"You're job. I talked with Mrs. Weasley the other day about career choices in the Wizarding World. When I met with Professor McGonagle, I mentioned that I had thought about becoming an auror, but I didn't know much about them. Still don't actually," Harry admitted.

"Hence the reason why I am here," Tonks concluded. "And here I thought you might have a crush and wanted to ask me out," she stated with a laugh as Harry turned red.

"So, what do you want to know?"

"Everything, I guess," Harry shrugged. "As much as you can tell me. I really don't know much about aurors, just that they are described as bad wizard catchers."

"That makes us sound like dog catchers," Tonks laughed. "But we are involved in catching 'bad wizards. Of course, first comes training…"

* * *

"Maybe we should remind Professor Dumbledore of the offer regarding our services," Fred stated to his twin as they entered the drawing room.

"Yes, yes, it would be quite interesting," George agreed.

"What services?" Ron asked.

"I highly doubt that the Headmaster is in need of pranks," Hermione added dryly.

"No, no, I quite agree," Fred stated, nodding his head.

"Yes, indeed. Why he was in our store just the other day and bought a plethora of items," George informed them.

"Plethora?" Both Ron and Hermione asked simultaneously.

"It means a large variety," George explained to his younger brother, while Fred addressed Hermione. "He couldn't seem to decide on one thing, so he bought everything that caught his interest."

"No doubt due to our new line of lemon flavored wheezes," George loudly whispered to Harry, causing the teen to grin and say, "Maybe you should add a line of sock wheezes."

"But what we were actually referring to was our skills to teach Defense at Hogwarts next year."

"What skills?" Ron asked.

"You?" Ginny asked with a laugh.

"Better the devil you know…" George began. "At least with us he knows that the students would be safe. We wouldn't have any plans to kill someone."

"Unless killing with laughter counts," Fred injected with a frown.

"And we aren't Death Eaters or ministry flunkies with hidden agendas."

"Nor are we simpering idiots who might spend more time trying to make themselves look better than teach."

Harry and Hermione looked at each other before turning away, careful to avoid looking at the twins.

"Maybe not ministry _flunkies_," Ginny retorted, "But you didn't _pass_ your NEWTS."

"Au Contraire, Little Sis," Fred announced, "We passed with flying rainbows."

"What? How? You left school before NEWT testing."

"Made an appointment at the ministry to be tested."

"You can do that?" Hermione asked.

"There are a few-"

"Hundred," Fred inserted,

"Restrictions," George admitted, "But it can be done."

"What else did you take? How were they? Wh-"

"Hermione, later," Harry interrupted, "I'm sure no one else wants to hear about _that_ right now," he concluded with a look at her that had her eyes widen before she nodded her agreement.

"Flying rainbows?" she asked instead, causing Harry to groan.

Fred frowned and looked at George, "I thought that was a muggle expression? Wasn't that what Dad said?"

George also frowned, "He said it meant exceptionally well. Um, maybe it was levitating rainbow? Floating colors?"

"Flying colors," Harry supplied, "and it does mean exceptionally well. Anyway, congratulations on doing well."

"Ah, actually, we should probably be thanking you," the twins said in a rare moment of seriousness. "What you taught us last year helped a lot."

"Wait a minute," Hermione interrupted, "If you did so well because of a _fifth year_, how do you expect to teach said fifth year, who is now a sixth year, as well as his friends and the seventh years as well?"

Fred and George stopped a moment and turned to each other, a well rehearsed expression of surprise on their faces, "By golly she's right."

"Of course she's right; she _is_ Hermione," the other stated.

"Hmm, new plan," Fred said tapping the side of his head with a finger. "I've got it!" he exclaimed. "Since we do _so_ much better in other subjects, without the help of a _lowly_ fifth year, perhaps we'll offer to take over one of those subjects-"

"OOH!" Ron interrupted, voice filled with excitement, "Potions! How did you guys do in potions? If you take over Potions, we can get rid of Snape."

"like Charms, and then Headmaster Dumbledore could move a highly qualified Dueling Champion like Flitwick to the open Defense slot," Fred concluded, ignoring Ron's outburst.

"That's brilliant!" Ron stated, "Though it doesn't get rid of Snape."

"We _did_ excel on our potions NEWT as well, dear brother," George stated calmly to his twin.

"So we did," Fred nodded in agreement. "We could offer to take over that subject,"

"YES!" Ron shouted gleefully.

"Allowing the Headmaster to fulfill Professor Snape's dream of receiving his ideal job."

"NO!" Ron shouted. "You are suppose to get rid of him, not transfer him to Defense. That's one class that I actually like and do good in."

"Well," Hermione corrected absently, staring at the twins, "You do well in Defense."

"Yeah, I know, that's what I said," Ron stated, "but that will change if Snape teaches it. Harry, back me up here," Ron continued, looking towards his best mate for support and noticing that both he and Hermione were staring at his brothers.

"Of course, Dumbledore wouldn't be a slouch as a Defense Professor," Fred commented.

"True," George responded, "But somehow, I don't think we are qualified to become Headmaster just yet."

"No, no, I fully agree," Fred stated. "Perhaps we could volunteer to help him with various headmastery tasks so he could find time in his schedule to teach these young ones Defense."

"Brilliant idea," George commented, "Simply brilliant."

"Harry? Hermione?" Ron questioned looking at his two friends as they continued to just stared at the twins.

"See what you did?" Ron shouted at his brothers, "They're petrified at the thought of Snape teaching defense."

"Right," Fred and George nodded, "Well we'll just go now so that they can recover."

"We need to find Headmaster Dumbledore and discuss our new ideas with him," Fred commented as the two left.

"Don't you dare!" Ron threatened his brothers before turning to Harry and Hermione, who were now just staring at each other. "Harry? Hermione?"

* * *

"They _know_."

"I know."

"We suspected that they might have known, but now, we _know_ they know."

"I know."

"I mean, you can't possibly have any doubt that they know."

"I _know_."

"So, what should we do?"

"What _can_ we do?"

"And more importantly, _how_ did they get a hold of my essay to read it?"

The two sat in silence for a bit as they thought about that last question.

"Perhaps Dumbledore shared the essay with order members?"

"Fred and George weren't part of the order until recently. Besides, if they read it because they were part of the order, so would have Mr. and Mrs. Weasley."

"So?" Harry asked.

"So?" Hermione repeated, "You can't expect Mrs. Weasley not to have commented about it to you or to not have treated you differently, could you?"

"Oh, yeah…I guess you're right about that," Harry said in agreement, imagining how Mrs. Weasley would have responded.

"So there's only one thing to do now," Harry announced.

"What?" Hermione asked warily.

"Talk to the twins about…NEWTS," Harry completed when Ron entered the room.

* * *

"They know we know."

"I know."

"Why did we think this was a good idea?"

"I don't know."

"We really should just avoid them until they forget."

"I know."

"Of course, I have never known Hermione to forget anything."

"We'll just have to think of a reason to avoid dropping by."

"School is starting soon."

"I know. But we finished, remember?"

"I meant as our excuse. After all, we _are_ running a shop. No doubt back-to-school shoppers will hopefully deplete our stock. Naturally we will need to make sure that supply equals demand."

"Brilliant. Now if only we can keep them from coming to the alley to do their own back-to-school shopping."

"I know," George commented sadly.

* * *

Severus stared at Albus in shock, "Defense?" he repeated, not quite believing that the job was finally being offered to him.

"Of course, my dear boy, of course," the headmaster replied. "It will be difficult replacing you as Potions Professor, though. Finding someone with your level of knowledge and expertise is challenging. I did receive an interesting offer, with quite a few choices," he stated, eyes twinkling brightly.

Severus just continued to stare at the headmaster. Finally he could show those dunderheads what a _real_ Defense Professor should be like. No doubt _his_ students would have the highest NEWTS and OWLS in two decades.

"Yes," Albus continued, interrupting Severus's thoughts, "I think it is past time that the students have someone they know and can trust in such an important position."

"What?" Severus questioned Albus's words, reminding him of something he recently read.

"Potter!" Snape shouted. "You are offering me this position because of Potter."

"Now Severus, that's not true," Albus began, "Besides, does it really matter?"

"It matters to me," the potions master snapped. "I will not do it. Better that I never get that position than to have it due to a _Potter_!" he snarled. "_Absolutely not_. I refuse."

"Now, Severus, at least spend some time and think about this," Albus calmly advised. "In these trying times, isn't it best for the students to know the person who holds such a vaulted position? Someone with your expertise and backgrounds has much to offer _all_ of our students."

Severus snorted at Albus's attempt at persuasion.

"All?" He repeated as another thought came to him. "I'm guessing that Potter's friends Longbottom and Weasley passed the OWLS to continue NEWT Defense."

Albus nodded merrily, "Indeed. The highest OWL scores in decades; higher than average NEWT scores as well."

"Another reason to decline your wonderful _offer_," Severus sneered, before storming out of the headmaster's office.

* * *

"How did you guys do it?" Harry demanded to know. Today was the first time the twins had visited headquarters since he and Hermione realized that they had somehow read Harry's essay. They had planned this moment since they realized that the twins were avoiding them.

As soon as the twins entered the house, the two students waited for the opportunity to corner the twins. They prevented Ron and Ginny from following by stating that they wanted to talk to the twins about NEWTS.

"NEWTS?" Fred questioned, "We told you, we simply put in a request to the ministry to take them."

"How did you find o-?" Harry began only to be interrupted.

"About our NEWT scores?" Fred finished innocently, "They send an owl just like they do with the OWLS."

"Not that," Harry snapped, "My essay."

"Not sure what you're talking about," George replied, not meeting their eyes.

"We know you read Harry's summer essay," Hermione said speaking for the first time since she and Harry entered the room. "What we don't know is _how_ and _where_ you got a copy," she clarified when one of the twins opened his mouth.

"And don't deny you read it," Harry commented, staring at the twins. "It's been pretty obvious that you have. Not only have the two of you stopped asking me about it, but every time you're here you always make some reference to what was in the essay."

"You're also very careful not to make those comments when an adult who _has_ read the essay is present," Hermione shared her observation.

"Well?" Harry prodded when the twins didn't respond.

Still, the twins didn't give any response, but remained silent, not even meeting his eyes.

"Come on, Hermione," Harry finally said after several more minutes of the twins' silence. "Obviously, they don't care enough about me to even _admit_ the truth, let alone explain how they got a hold of my essay. Never thought they were cowards," he said as he turned around and headed towards the door. As the two reached the doorway, Harry muttered, "Humph, and I thought they were my friends, one of the few people I could always count on, not just to tell me the truth but as someone who I can be real with , not TBWL as others expect."

The twins exchanged looks before breaking their silence and grabbing the door before it slammed shut as Harry and Hermione left, "Harry, wait," they said together, one of them continuing when the two students stilled.

"We did read your essay."

"Or at least, a rough draft of it," they admitted.

"And it was brilliant, if you want the truth. There is no way that it deserves a 'T'."

"It definitely wasn't your typical essay. I can understand everyone why is reacting the way they have."

While the twins were talking Harry was wondering how they got a hold of a copy of his essay. As soon as they stopped, he began to ask that question, "How did-"

"We come to that conclusion?" one of the twins injected, cutting Harry off. "Very easily actually. After all, we already knew most of the details."

This time it was Hermione who attempted to ask how they got the essay, "But how-"

Deliberately misunderstanding and again, not letting the question be completed, Fred replied, "Well, we _were_ at school with you the last five years, and even though we haven't always paid attention in class, outside of it,"

"Especially if it had prank potential,"

"Is a very different story. If you want, we can tell you what we knew about your first five years at Hogwart's before we read the essay," Fred offered.

"Er, no, that's fine. I was there as well, I am aware of what the school 'knew'," Harry responded when Fred paused and both boys looked at him expectantly. "What I really want to know-"

"Yes, yes, we're getting to that. You want to know how we learned _more_ than the average Hogwart's student about your adventures."

Harry and Hermione exchanged a look before Hermione sighed and nodded to her best friend. It was best that they let the twins explain what they wanted to before asking questions about _how_ they obtained the essay.

"The main reason is the fact that your _other_ best friend is our brother,"

"Who happens to talk in his sleep,"

"And he has been involved in your adventures. Ginny has been involved in many as well," he added as a side note.

"We had no idea about what _you_ actually went through. Ron had made everything sound like a great and grand adventure, and was eagerly looking forward to the next one."

Harry snorted, according to Dumbledore, the grand adventure was death, then again, Harry thought sadly, too many of his adventures did involve death to some degree.

"The essay presented things from your perspective, and not that of a kid brother doing things his brothers never had."

"Or a hero rescuing the damsel he loves," George injected, batting his eyelashes at Harry.

"Or a headmaster using the situation to change the winner's of the House Cup."

"Honestly, our respect for you has more than doubled," Fred said seriously. "Most students have a difficult time just passing classes, getting use to a boarding school and dorm situation, but to do all that while fighting for your life each and every year," he paused as he shook his head in disbelief, "That's just amazing."

"If the Headmaster takes us up on our offer and we become the newest Defense Professors, rest assured the first thing we would do is to change that grade to an 'O'."

"Thanks," Harry said blushing, hoping the twins would now be open to questions, "But how did you manage to read it?"

The two brother's exchanged looks before one finally asked, "Would you believe that one of the professor's left it out?"

"No," Harry and Hermione spoke firmly and in unison, causing the twins to speak again before the two younger Gryffindors could continue.

"How about that we _borrowed_ it from the professors when they weren't around?"

"No," Harry and Hermione both replied. When they both began to speak again, Hermione nodded for Harry to continue.

"One, I doubt any professor would be that careless, let alone Professor Snape or Dumbledore; Two, I'm sure you didn't have permission to read it, from them or me."

Hermione gave him a puzzled look, while the twins looked at each other before responding.

"One, your essay must be true, you really do respect old Snape if you're calling him Professor when neither he nor any other teacher is around.

"Two," his twin continued, "Who said anything about permission? What's the fun in that?"

"And," Hermione commented, glaring at the twins, "You said you read a rough draft of the essay, the professors had the final copy."

"That's right!" Harry said, turning so he could also glare at the twins.

"Yes, well," began George hesitantly, as he and his brother backed towards the door.

"Actually, we have a question or two for you before we answer your question," Fred stated.

"What are you doing?" George hissed quietly to his twin, "we need to escape as soon as we can."

"There are a few things I want to know, and after we tell them how we got the essay, we might not be alive to ask them," Fred said loudly so that Harry and Hermione could hear him. "I would hate to die without answers to those unasked questions."

Both Harry and Hermione frowned. Harry in confusion, trying to make sense of Fred's last statement; Hermione puzzled over why they might 'kill' the twins because of how they got the essay.

With a sigh, Harry agreed, "Fine, ask your questions, as long as you agree that you will not leave this room without answering ours."

After exchanging looks, the twins agreed.

"First question, how did you _know_ that we read your essay?"

"Please" Hermione scoffed, "Good thing we didn't limit the number of questions you could ask if you are going to waste them by asking questions with obvious answers."

Harry snorted, "First you haven't bothered to ask me if you could read my essay in a while; second, well, you mentioned that you now knew the topic of the essay; and third, every conversation we've heard from you has mentioned at least one thing covered in my essay. And yes, while you might have known some of the information before, you didn't know the specifics, and most of your comments involved the specifics."

"Hmm," Fred hummed, "Was it the Look-a-lick lollipop or the two-faced taffy that gave us away?"

Hermione snorted as Harry answered, "Both. Since you never asked our opinions before, we were suspicious, but the clincher was when you were trying to come up with four professors that might try to kill you."

"Hey! It was _staff members_, not professors," George corrected. "Right, then. Umm, next question, Fred," he added awkwardly.

"Right. Why did Hermione…no, wait, we can't ask that question yet."

"Why not?" Hermione asked, curious about how she had been involved.

Fred shrugged, "I just can't yet. It's like telling the punch line before you tell the joke. But," he rushed to add when she huffed, "I'll right it down so that either I'll remember to ask it later, or so that you can read it in case we are too incapacitated to ask it."

Hermione glared at him before nodding and passing him a quill and parchment.

"Any other questions?" Harry asked, eager to finally get an answer to his question.

"Oh yes. A few minutes ago you mentioned not having permission to read your essay, and while you were right that we didn't, why was that an issue?"

"Other than the whole not respecting your wishes," George injected.

"Which we are sorry for," Fred apologized. "We honestly had no idea what your essay contained."

"Couldn't even imagine what it was that made everyone so crazy. Our curiosity and instinct for mischief overrode our common sense and respect for our friendship."

"Again, we apologize. We just figured that you might have included some of the crazy spell the fake-Moody taught."

Harry smiled, "Thanks for apologizing, it means a lot to me."

"No problem, now about that permission?"

"You still don't have it," Harry snorted.

"Fine," the twins agreed, "But why would we need it?"

"Oh, right," Harry blushed, the apology clearing the twin's latest question from his mind. "Well, Moody and Tonks saw my essay over the summer while I was working on it, Moody was upset that I didn't protect my privacy and placed a charm on my parchment. Basically, it would appear blank to anyone who did not have permission to read it."

Hermione turned from glaring at the twins to smiling at Harry, "Really? And it works? Do you know the charm he used? That would come in handy. Imagine if I had used that last year for the DA List. Umbridge wouldn't have found that list. Why could-"

"Hermione, stop, breathe," Harry teased. "And let me answer your questions before I forget them, any other questions can wait till after we deal with the twins. Now, I think this is in the order that you asked them: I would think it works, I can't imagine Mad-Eye's privacy spell not working. I have the charm written upstairs. I don't know it since I really haven't been able to use it myself, being summer hols and not being able to do magic. And I agree, it could be useful."

"That is ingenious," Fred and George stated. "We would like a copy of that spell as well, if you wouldn't mind."

Harry shrugged, "Sure, Moody didn't say anything about keeping it secret. Now any other questions?"

"Just one…what did you think about our newest Wheezes?"

Harry frowned again, "Um...were you two serious about them?"

"Would we take the time to come up with them if we weren't serious?"

Harry and Hermione looked at each other before both replied, "Yes."

"Especially if it involved a prank on one of your siblings, and this one involved two," Harry added.

"Fine, but would we use up one of our valuable questions right now asking you about them if we weren't serious about them?"

Again, Harry and Hermione answered in unison, "Yes."

"Partly because we didn't limit the number of questions you could ask, which in hindsight was our first mistake," Hermione clarified, "but also to delay answering Harry's question."

"Point," George admitted.

"But seriously, do you think they'll sell?" the twins asked.

"Honestly," Hermione stated with an exaggerated sigh.

"Yes, honestly. We want to know."

"They would probably sell very well if everyone knew the connection between the Wheezes and Harry's first few years at Hogwart's," Hermione stated.

Harry snickered, "Yeah, well, If Ron, who was involved in our adventures, didn't make the connection I don't know how anyone else will."

"Not to insult our brother," George began, "But most people are smarter than him."

Hermione snickered, but otherwise didn't comment.

"Now can we get to my question?" Harry asked, as Hermione moved to block the door.

"I…uh…" the twins stumbled when noticing that their exit was blocked. "Fine," they admitted, "ask your questions, we promised that we will answer them, and we will. Just promise us that there will be no killing or permanent scarring due to what we may reveal."

Hermione snorted, "Seriously, what do you guys think you did that was that bad?"

"Just ask your questions," the twins stated resignedly.

"You first," Harry offered to Hermione.

"How did you do on your NEWTS?"

"Hermione!" Harry shockingly hissed.

"What?" She asked defensively. "I want to know and it's not like they have admitted to anyone how they did. Merlin, they haven't even told their parents that they took the NEWTS."

"It's fine," Fred informed them. "As we previously state, we passed all of our NEWTS with flying colors," he said looking inquiringly at Harry to confirm if he used the correct phrase. When Harry nodded, George continued, "We took Defense Against the Dark Arts, Potions, Charms, Transfiguration, Astronomy and Muggle Studies."

"But you only got three OWLS, how could you take six NEWTS?" Hermione inquired.

"It's a requirement to pass the OWL to get into the NEWT class," Fred explained, "Not to take the NEWT test."

"Oh," Hermione said, staring down the twins.

"Um, well, we also took the OWLS we were missing," George explained, receiving a hit on the arm from his brother. "What? She's scary when she stares at you like that," he said, defending his actions.

With a sigh, Fred explained, "We only got three OWLS because we only showed up to take three OWLS, we petitioned the ministry to let us take the ones we never took. They didn't have a reason to say no, so we took them."

"And I assume you passed those with flying colors as well?" Hermione asked receiving a nod from the twins.

"Your turn," Hermione addressed Harry.

"My first question is if you guys really offered to teach Defense next year," Harry stated.

"We did," they confirmed. "Professor Dumbledore was most pleased with our offer, especially since we made it to keep the students safe from dangerous professors. He said he would keep it in mind if his first choice turned him down."

"He did admit that he was a bit concerned about the supposed curse on the position,"

"He really didn't want to get on the wrong side of mum," George confided. "That's when we gave him our secondary proposals of teaching another subject to free up somebody else or even assisting him with his headmastery tasks so that he could take the position."

"Of course," Fred frowned, "At that point, he realized that we had read your essay and he wanted to discuss that instead."

Harry snorted, "Let me guess, he wanted to discuss it over lemon drops?"

Fred and George laughed, but otherwise didn't comment.

"Um," Harry frowned before looking at Hermione, "Anything else you want to know about? This is a good opportunity to get answers. After all, if what they did was that bad, they might want to avoid us for a while."

Fred and George snickered, "At first we figured we would need to avoid you both, especially once you turned seventeen and were freely able to do magic."

"That was our plan, especially if you figured out _how_ we got a copy of your essay."

"But then we decided that we didn't want to hide"

"or run and hide from you," Fred injected.

"Especially after the information of your essay really set in. We knew we majorly messed up, and were willing to admit to it."

"But you didn't!" Hermione objected.

"You're right. We didn't verbally admit it right out, but," Fred paused as George snorted, "Could our hints and conversations been any more obvious?"

"Oh," Hermione sheepishly muttered.

"You see, we wanted this out in the open,"

"Even if we knew you might kill or permanently disfigure us,"

"Which you promised not to do," George reminded them. "Yet, we couldn't just pull you aside and tell you."

"Because not only would that not be any fun, but also because Ron and Ginny would want to know what we were talking to you about."

George snorted, "If you think our curiosity is out of control, you should take a really hard look at Ron's and Ginny's, especially if it involves the two of you."

"So, we adapted our original plan, waiting for you to confront us."

"But then why did you avoid this place and us?" Hermione skeptically asked.

"Right, well, let's just say that our Gryffindor bravery disappeared when we left Hogwart's and Gryffindor house."

"Huh?" Harry asked.

"We once again became worried about how you and Hermione would react to what we did."

"Fine," Hermione said, accepting their answers, "One more question before you tell us how you got his essay. Why am I so involved in this?"

"Yes, well, that's actually related to the big question," Fred admitted.

"And?" Harry inquired, his eyes not leaving the two Weasley's.

"You see, we did _borrow_ it," Fred said.

"From who?" Harry asked angrily.

"Whom," Hermione corrected.

The twins looked at each other before nodding and saying, "Hermione."

"What!" Harry and Hermione both exclaimed. Hermione withdrawing her wand and holding it on the two red-heads. "I did no-"

"Borrowed without permission," Fred clarified attempting to hide behind his brother.

"Only because forgiveness is easier to get than permission," George explained, switching places with his twin so he was hidden.

"You know, George," Fred stated, looking straight at the tip of Hermione's wand, "I think it's a really good thing we made them promise not to kill or permanently disfigure us."

"You know, Fred," George replied, looking at the tip of Harry's wand, "I rather think that this is a good time to remind them that they are both underage and cannot perform magic outside of Hogwart's."

"At least not without serious consequences," Fred agreed, "And truthfully, I do not feel that we are worth it."

Harry sighed as he lowered his wand and indicated for Hermione to do the same. "For the most part I agree. They apologized to me, and did so sincerely. They also led us to the conclusion that they read my essay, something that they easily could have hid from us. Of course, they still owe you an explanation and an apology."

"Gladly,"

"Willingly," the twins stated, before launching into said explanation and apology.

Once they finished, Hermione frowned, "Moody has it right, we really should protect things better. If the twins were able to get a copy, who knows who else could."

"Hey!" the twins protested.

"I didn't mean it like that," Hermione huffed, "But how many people come traipsing in and out of this house? How many have we not even met? How many might be…a bit shady?" she asked, thinking specifically of Dung.

"You're right," Harry and the twins admitted to Hermione's satisfaction.

"Now as to your punishment,"

"What? But we apologized"

"And you promised not to kill or permanently disfigure us."

"That leads a lot of options still available," Hermione smiled.

"But…but…You can't use magic outside of school!" Fred shouted triumphantly.

"You're right," Hermione admitted, "But you can."

"Huh?"

"Part of your punishment is to learn the spell Moody gave to Harry. You will then cast that spell on anything Harry and I ask you to. You will also place additional protection charms on our trunks and other belongings."

"That's not too bad,"

"And we learn a new spell that has great prank potential," Fred and George admitted.

"_And_ you will swear the following oath that you will _not_ go into my or Harry's trunk without our permission," she said, holding the piece of parchment she had furiously been scribbling on.

With a nod, the twins took the parchment, nodded and recited the oath.

"It's not an unbreakable vow," she said with a nod of her head, "But it works," she completed before looking at Harry who also nodded.

"You know," Harry said, looking at the twins, "I could just tell Dobby what they did."

The twins frowned in confusion before looking at Harry inquiringly.

"Dobby almost killed me my second year when he tried to protect me," Harry said with a smirk, "Imagine what he would do when he hears that you two broke into Hermione's trunk to read an essay that I wrote…that _you_ _knew_ I didn't want you to read."

"Uh, no," the twins muttered, "We're good. We promised not to do anything like that again to you, as well as not to share what was in the essay with anyone else, especially our youngest siblings."

Harry nodded in satisfaction, "As long as you guys know that telling Dobby is an option," he smiled.

"We'll be good," they promised. "And as a show of our good faith, we won't even test any of our products on you or your friends."

Harry frowned, "I'll take that offer, but feel free to test some of the milder ones on your siblings, but _not_ Hermione, Neville or Luna."

"Agreed," the twins grinned.

"Oh!"

"What Hermione? Another punishment?"

"No, the question Fred wrote down."

"Oh, yes, well," Fred said, digging out the parchment and handing it to Hermione while asking his question.

"Why did you have so many copies of Harry's essay in your trunk?"

"Our original plan was to copy the essay, but when we opened your trunk, we saw so many we just grabbed one."

"But then, remembering whose trunk it was, we figured that you probably knew exactly how many you had, so we made another copy and replaced your copy."

Hermione, nodded, "I did know," she admitted.

"So why?"

She shrugged before replying, "I was so mad when I read the first line I almost tore up Harry's essay. After reading that first line, I knew it wouldn't be a typical essay. Of course, I realized that it would be hard to yell at him about said essay if I destroyed it and didn't have the evidence to back up my points, so I made a copy. I then decided that I should make a few copies, in case I couldn't prevent myself."

"Wait," Harry said before asking, "A few?"

"Only about two dozen," Hermione admitted, not looking at Harry.

"Um," The twins began worriedly, after exchanging glances, "There weren't that many in your trunk when we sto-, _borrowed_ one."

Hermione blushed before quietly mumbling, "I know, my self-restraint wasn't that good, and I destroyed quite a few when I got upset."

Fred and George laughed, while Harry stared at her in shock.

"But..But…why didn't you get rid of them before now?" Harry finally asked.

Hermione snorted, "I wasn't about to throw them away at home. If my parents read them, I would be pulled out of Hogwart's before you could say 'Rotfang Conspiracy'. And I couldn't throw them away in a public bin. My word, if someone came across it, the statute of secrecy would be-"

"Gone," Fred and George concluded before Hermine could.

Hermione nodded, not the word she would have used, but it got the point across. "And I couldn't get rid of them here, not with so many people always around, and especially not with Ron and Ginny trying to read your essay. I figured I would wait until I got back to Hogwart's when I could magically destroy them."

"We'll tell you what," Fred offered, "As part of our punishment, we will magically destroy the essays for you."

"In front of witnesses," Harry replied, "It's not that I don't trust you," Harry stated, "it's just that I'm not taking any chances."

"Understood," the twins nodded in agreement.

"Now onto more important things,"

"Like what?" Hermione asked.

"Our new wheezes. Do you really think they wouldn't sell if they weren't connected to Harry? We spent a lot of time coming up with those combos."

Hermione rolled her eyes, "If you can rework them so that they aren't all imitating Lockhart, there is potential."

"Yes!"

"We have potential!" The twins cheered.

"And this from the prefect who just last year was confiscating our wheezes."

Harry laughed as Hermione scowled and moved away from the door so they could leave.

"Wait! Wait," she cried as the twins exited the room, "I have a couple of questions about the combos you two created."

"Hermione, it'll keep," Harry addressed with a look at the twins, who nodded, "They will answer your questions, but we really should get back before Ron or Ginny comes looking for us."

"Fine, but it better be before school starts, I'm not till Christmas to get this information."

* * *

A/N Sorry it took so long...Hope you guys enjoy this.


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